Mrs. Nagaratnam Sakunthala vs Commissioner of Lands (Northern Province) and others – CA Writ 165/15-2025

In the matter of Mrs. Nagaratnam Sakunthala (Petitioner) and the Commissioner of Lands, Northern Province, et al. (Respondents), the court addressed the issue of the Petitioner’s rights to State land, subsequent encroachment, and the Respondents’ administrative decisions. The court held that the Petitioner’s rights derived from a permit issued to her father were valid and that the Respondents had a duty to evict encroachers and restore possession. The court found the Respondents’ decisions to divide the land to be ultra vires, unreasonable, and irrational. This decision reaffirmed the principle that public authorities must act within their statutory powers and follow principles of reasonableness and legitimate expectation. The matter relied on the Land Development Ordinance, particularly S