Sangapala Thero vs. Telwatte Nagitha Thero – sllr 1983 volume 2 page 056

In the case between Sangapala Thero (plaintiff) and Telwatte Nagitha Thero (defendant), the court addressed whether an ola leaf writing (P17A) executed by Rev. Piyaratana Tissa Thero qualified as a valid nomination for succession to the position of Viharadhipathi or merely facilitated temporary temple management. The holding established that the document operated solely as an administrative arrangement during Rev. Piyaratana’s lifetime and did not constitute a nomination of a successor. This principle reaffirmed that succession to the office of Viharadhipathi is governed by the recognized rule of seniority unless clear and unequivocal nomination is lawfully made. Reliance was placed on the specific language and context of the documentary evidence and the established rules of temple success