Somaratne and Another v. De Silva Padmini – sllr 1988 volume 2 page 195

In the case between Somaratne and Another (Respondents) and Padmini de Silva (Appellant), the court addressed the dispute concerning title to a portion of land, centering on the interpretation of a settlement agreement predicated on the existence or absence of a “foundation” on the claimed property. It was determined that the District Court and Court of Appeal had adopted an unduly rigid interpretation, failing to grant relief for the Appellants’ alleged mistake in the settlement’s wording and not thoroughly examining the merits. The court set aside the prior orders and directed a retrial. The holding reaffirmed the principle that interpretation of agreements requires careful attention to context and intent, not mere semantic formality. Reliance was placed on procedural fairness and statut