Anusha Wijewardena vs. Minister of Lands et al. – SC APPEAL NO. 56/2008-2015

In Anusha Wijewardena v. Minister of Lands and others, the court examined the legal propriety of including the Petitioner’s land in dual proceedings under the Land Acquisition Act, specifically addressing whether the land was validly acquired and if the Petitioner was entitled to a Writ of Mandamus for divestiture. The matter centered on whether actions taken under Gazette Notifications of 1979 and 1997 had been properly implemented and if the exclusion or inclusion of the Petitioner’s land was procedurally and substantively correct. The findings established that vesting orders issued under Section 39A of the Land Acquisition Act are conclusive evidence of State title, barring discretionary intervention through Mandamus absent clear statutory grounds. The appeal was dismissed without costs