Ratnayake Maudiyanselage Herath Banda v. Ihala Welgamage Abeysinghe and Others – SC APPEAL NO: 188/14-2023

In the case between Ratnayake Maudiyanselage Herath Banda (Plaintiff/Respondent-Appellant) and Ihala Welgamage Abeysinghe, G.G. Sanjeewa Karunaratne, and Pushpa Karunaratne (Defendants/Appellant-Respondents), the Supreme Court addressed the issue of whether the Appellant had sufficiently established title to the disputed land in a rei vindicatio action, relying primarily on documentary evidence and the applicability of evidentiary presumptions under Section 114 of the Evidence Ordinance. The sequence of events involved an initial District Court decision in favor of the Appellant, which was overturned by the High Court for lack of sufficient proof of title. The Supreme Court determined that the Appellant demonstrated a valid chain of title through credible documentary and oral evidence and