Auriya Vinothini Yogaraja nee Poopalarathnam vs Riyal Mohomed Riswan – SC/APPEAL/33/2020-2024

In the case between Auriya Vinothini Yogaraja nee Poopalarathnam and Riyal Mohomed Riswan with others, the court addressed whether a power of attorney attested by a notary outside the notary’s mandated jurisdiction renders subsequent legal action void and the curability of such power by ratification. The court held that although procedural defects involving notarial attestation may constitute an offense, such defects do not per se invalidate the underlying instrument if ratification is established. This decision reaffirmed the principle that the authority conferred by a power of attorney can be retrospectively validated, as long as statutory and case law requirements are met. Reliance was placed on the Notaries Ordinance, relevant statutory interpretations, and established precedents such