Munasinghelage Premawathie vs Divisional Secretary – 91/12-2023

In the case between Munasinghelage Premawathie (plaintiff) and the Divisional Secretary, District Secretary, Commissioner General of the Land Commissioner’s Department, and Hon. Attorney General (respondents), the court addressed the dispute concerning the state’s acquisition and use of a land parcel known as Patasgalahena/Pathalgashena. At issue was whether a 2016 settlement regarding land divestment, allocation, and compensation should be enforced and if the petitioner’s writ application for prohibition and mandamus was to be relisted or dismissed. The findings established that, given the specific context and settlement achieved, reinstatement or further proceedings were unwarranted as the dispute was concluded by agreement. Reliance was placed on the doctrine of impossibility of perform