Kattadige Siripala & Others vs Commissioner of Land Title Settlement & Others – CA WRT/0129/2021-2023

In the matter between Kattadige Siripala and others (Petitioners) and the Commissioner of Land Title Settlement and others (Respondents), the court considered whether the Petitioners could seek a writ of mandamus amid conflicting land title claims when a partition action was already pending. The application was found to be untenable where title was disputed and an adequate alternative remedy was available through the partition proceedings. It was held that prerogative writ jurisdiction should not be exercised in cases involving contested facts and alternative legal avenues. Reference was made to legal precedents confirming the discretionary nature of writs and the obligation to refuse such relief when statutory remedies exist. The dismissal of the application reaffirmed the principle that