Lalitha Padmini v. Jayatunga – sllr 1999 volume 2 page 163

In the case between Lalitha Padmini (plaintiff) and Jayatunga (defendant, on behalf of Swarna Jayanthi), the court addressed the issue of determining superior title to a one-rood land parcel amid conflicting title deeds. It was held that the plaintiff failed to establish a title superior to the defendant’s wife due to the principle of exceptio rei vendita et traditae under Roman Dutch Law, which recognizes that once valid transfer and delivery have occurred, subsequent conveyances of the same property become ineffective. The court reaffirmed that legal possession and clear devolution of title, supported by sequence and delivery of deeds, are essential to prevail in title disputes. The decision relied on longstanding property law principles and upheld the prior Court of Appeal judgment, und