Dr. Lindamulage Tiraj Niroshan Silva vs Municipal Council of Moratuwa and others – CA WRT/0437/20-2025

In the matter of Dr. Lindamulage Tiraj Niroshan Silva (Petitioner) vs. Municipal Council of Moratuwa and others (Respondents), the court addressed the authority of a Municipal Council to lay pipes on private land without proper notice and the entitlement to compensation. The court held that a writ of prohibition should be issued to prevent further construction without strict adherence to legal notice requirements, but a writ of mandamus for compensation was denied due to the failure to demand performance from the relevant authority. This decision reaffirmed the principle that administrative authorities must comply with statutory provisions, including notice requirements, when acting on private property, and that specific procedural prerequisites must be met to obtain a writ of mandamus.