Jafferjee vs The Municipal Council of Colombo – clr volume 3 page 027

The case between Carimjee Jafferjee and the Municipal Council of Colombo addressed the issue of statutory compliance with notice requirements under Section 278 of the Municipal Councils Ordinance No. 7 of 1887. It was held that the sufficiency of the notice hinges on whether it stated, with reasonable certainty, the name and abode of the plaintiff’s attorney or agent, as required by statute. The decision reaffirmed the principle that statutory requirements for notices preceding legal action against municipal bodies must generally be construed with regard to legislative purpose, but the particulars must be reasonably certain. Reliance was placed upon statutory interpretation and authorities, emphasizing that minor errors or omissions do not necessarily invalidate a notice if the statutory o