Jayasena Perera v. Ratnadasa – sllr 1981 volume 1 page 398

The case between Jayasena Perera (plaintiff) and Ratnadasa (defendant) addressed whether a transaction involving a lorry constituted a completed sale or merely an agreement to sell. It was held that the transaction created only an agreement to sell, not a sale, as ownership was to transfer upon payment of the full purchase price. The decision reaffirmed the principle that delivery of possession does not itself effect transfer of title if statutory and contractual provisions stipulate otherwise. Reliance was placed on the Sale of Goods Ordinance and the Motor Traffic Act, with particular reference to section 18 of the Ordinance. The case clarifies that interpretation of contractual documents and statutory requirements takes precedence in determining the passing of property, emphasizing the