Loku Menika and Others v. Gunasekare – sllr 1997 volume 2 page 281

In the case between Loku Menika and Others (Plaintiffs) and Gunasekare (Defendant), the court addressed the issue of the burden on a plaintiff in a declaratory action to strictly plead and prove title to the land in dispute. It was held that a plaintiff seeking a declaration of title must establish the basis of title as pleaded and is not entitled to introduce new arguments or claims after closing the case. The findings reaffirmed the principle that relief may only be granted on what is specifically pleaded and proven, emphasizing strict compliance with requirements relating to proof of title and the inadmissibility of post-case-closure arguments. The judgment relied on established precedents governing adverse possession, jus vindicandi, and the onus of proof in property law, thereby clari