K. Mary Margret Fernando Vs. Beeta de Silva and others – SC APPEAL NO. 193/2011-2014

In the case between K. Mary Margret Fernando (Substituted Plaintiff-Respondent-Petitioner-Appellant) and Beeta de Silva and L. Sarathchandra de Silva (Defendants), the Supreme Court addressed whether the premises in question constituted “excepted premises” within the meaning of the Rent Act No. 7 of 1972 (as amended). It was held that the Appellant successfully discharged the burden of proving that the premises’ assessment exceeded the statutory threshold of Rs. 2,000 in annual value, thereby exempting the property from standard Rent Act protections. In arriving at this determination, the Court relied on documentary evidence and legal provisions, notably emphasizing the adequacy of evidence regarding assessment numbers and annual valuations and clarifying the onus of proof under the Rent A