IN THE SUPREME COURT OF THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF SRI LANKA In the matter of an application for Special Leave to Appeal.

1. Hatharasinghe Arachchige Amarasena, 2. Hatharasinghe Arachchige Karunawathie, Both of Paluwatta, Kandurupokuna, Tangalle.

Complainants SC Appeal No: 75/2015 SC (SPL) LA No. 67/2012 CA/PHC/20/2000 HC/Hambanthota/16/98 Vs.

1. Hatharasinghe Arachchige Ranjith Premalal, 2. Hatharasinghe Arachchige Gnanasiri, 3. Hatharasinghe Arachchige Amitha Kanthi, All of Post 3, Bolana, Ruhunu Ridiyagama.

Respondents AND

1. Hatharasinghe Arachchige Amarasena, 2. Hatharasinghe Arachchige Karunawathie, Both of Paluwatta, Kandurupokuna, Tangalle.

Complainant-Petitioners Vs.

1. Hatharasinghe Arachchige Ranjith Premalal, 2. Hatharasinghe Arachchige Gnanasiri, 3. Hatharasinghe Arachchige Amitha Kanthi, All of Post 3, Bolana, Ruhunu Ridiyagama.

Respondent-Respondents

4. Commissioner of Agrarian Services, Office of the Agrarian Services, Hambantota.

5. M.P.N.P. Wickremasinghe, Former Commissioner of Agrarian Services, Office of the Agrarian Services, Hambantota.

Respondents AND BETWEEN

1. Hatharasinghe Arachchige Ranjith Premalal, 2. Hatharasinghe Arachchige Gnanasiri, 3. Hatharasinghe Arachchige Amitha Kanthi, All of Post 3, Bolana, Ruhunu Ridiyagama.

Respondent-Respondent-

Appellants

1. Hatharasinghe Arachchige Amarasena, 1A. D.A. Kaluarachchi, 2. Hatharasinghe Arachchige Karunawathie, 2A. H.G. Piyadasa, Both of “Singhagiri”, Kandurupokuna, Tangalle.

Complainant-Petitioner-

Respondents

4. Commissioner of Agrarian Services, Office of the Agrarian Services, Hambantota.

5. M.P.N.P. Wickremasinghe, Former Commissioner of Agrarian Services, Office of the Agrarian Services, Hambantota.

4^th and 5^th Respondent-Respondents AND NOW BETWEEN

1A. D.A. Kaluarachchi, 2A. H.G. Piyadasa, Both of “Singhagiri”, Kandurupokuna, Tangalle Substituted Complainant-Petitioner-

Respondent-Petitioners Vs.

1. Hatharasinghe Arachchige Ranjith Premalal, 2. Hatharasinghe Arachchige Gnanasiri, 3. Hatharasinghe Arachchige Amitha Kanthi, Respondent-Respondent-Appellant-

Respondents Commissioner of Agrarian Services, Office of the Agrarian Services, Hambantota.

4^th Respondent-Respondent-

Respondent Before: Justice P. Padman Surasena Justice E.A.G.R. Amarasekara Justice A.L. Shiran Gooneratne Counsel: Rohan Sahabandu, PC with Chathurika Elvitigala for the Substituted Complainant-Petitioner-Respondent-Appellants.

W. Dayaratne, PC with Ranjika Jayawardena for the 1(A), 1(B), 1(C), 2^nd and 3^rd Respondent-Respondent-Appellant-Respondents instructed by C. Dayaratne.

Yuresha De Silva, DSG for the 4^th Respondent-Respondent-

Respondent.

Argued on: 15/05/2023 Decided on: 03/10/2023 A.L. Shiran Gooneratne J.

The 1^st and 2^nd Complainants, presently, 1A and 2A Substituted Complainant-Petitioner- Respondent-Appellants (hereinafter referred to as the Complainant-Appellants) are the landlords of a paddy field known as Helambagahakumbura, in extent 10A, 3R and 4P. Hatharasinghe Arachchige Thomas was the tenant cultivator of 4A, 3R, 4P of the said paddy field and Gimara Dissanayake his wife, (hereinafter referred to as Thomas and Gimara respectively), was the tenant cultivator of the rest of the 6A of paddy land. The said Thomas and Gimara died in December 1992 and early 1993 respectively. After the death of the tenant cultivators, Hatharasinghe Arachchige Ranjith Premalal and Hatharasinghe Arachchige Gnanasiri, the 1^st and 2^nd Respondent-Respondent- Appellant-Respondents (hereinafter referred to as the 1^st and 2^nd Respondent-

Respondents), the two sons of the said tenant cultivators, continued to cultivate the said paddy land.

Having claimed that the said children of the tenant cultivators, namely the 1^st and 2^nd Respondent Respondents are not entitled in law to cultivate the said paddy land in question, the Original Complainant-Appellants by application dated 04/02/1994, complained to the 4^th Respondent-Respondent-Respondent, the Assistant Commissioner of Agrarian Services (hereinafter referred to as