Dewathaapedigedara Nishanthi Ranasinghe vs Hon. Attorney General and others – CA PHC 0160/2019-2025

In the matter of E. M. S. P. Ekanayake (Divisional Secretary, Weerambugedra) vs. Dewathaapedigedara Nishanthi Ranasinghe (Nimal Stores, Wehera, Wadakada), the court addressed the issue of eviction from State Land under the State Lands (Recovery of Possession) Act No. 07 of 1979. The court held that the appellant could not contest the competent authority’s opinion regarding the land’s status as State Land or its identity in Magistrate Court proceedings. The court affirmed that the scope of inquiry under Section 9 is limited to proving possession under a valid permit or authority, which the appellant failed to demonstrate. This decision relied on the State Lands (Recovery of Possession) Act No. 07 of 1979, emphasizing that the competent authority’s determination of State Land status is concl