Jayawickrema v. Maharagama Urban Council And Others – sllr 2006 volume 2 page 382

The case between Jayawickrema (Plaintiff) and the Maharagama Urban Council and others (Defendants) addressed whether the refusal to grant subdivision approval for Lot 7 was lawful under the Urban Development Authority Law as amended. It was determined that the respondents failed to consider relevant statutory provisions, namely section 8J, when refusing the application and thereby acted arbitrarily and unlawfully. The relief sought—quashing the refusal and compelling proper reconsideration—was granted, reaffirming that administrative authorities must adhere strictly to statutory requirements when exercising powers affecting property rights. This decision relied on the Urban Development Authority Law and emphasized the necessity of considering all mandatory factors before making decisions r