NIMALARATNE
v.
ASST: COMMISSIONER OF
AGRARIAN SERVICES
COURT OF APPEAL
JAYASINGHE. J .
JAYAWICKREMA. J ..
CA 111 / 9 5 (PHC)
PHC KEGALLE NO. 229
11™ JANUARY, 2 0 0 0
05™ MAY, 2000
C onstitu tio n A rticle 154P(4), 154G (l)(5)a. (G)(7) 13'h A m en d m en t ■
Provincial List - Agrarian Services Act 5 8 o f ) 979. S.5, 9 - Eviction - Does
the Provincial High Court havejurisdiction - Devolved subjects ■High Court
o f the Provinces (Special Provisions) Act 19 o f 1990 - S.3. S.4, S.5
The High C o u rt held th a t in quiries w ith regard to A grarian Services fell
o u t side th e w rit ju risd ic tio n of th e Provincial High C ourt as it is not
provided for in th e Provincial C ouncil List.
On appeal
H eld :
(1) Legislative A uthority of th e Provincial C ouncils are provided for in the
13Ul A m endm ent.
(2) A griculture a n d A grarian Services is a devolved su b ject - (Item 9 Provincial C ouncils List). However th ere is no reference to inquiries
u n d e r th e A grarian Services in th e Provincial C ouncil List.
(3) At th e tim e th e p rom ulgam ation of th e 13lh A m endm ent, Agrarian
Services Act 58 of 1979 w as operative. S.5 provided for inquiries by the
C om m issioner w here th ere w as eviction a n d S.9 provided for deciding
d isp u te s reg ard in g devolution of rig h ts of te n a n t cultivators. Appeals
were to th e B oard of Review - S.42(b) of th e A grarian Services Act 4 of
1997 (A m endm ent).
(4) The leg islatu re w hen en actin g Act 19 of 1990 w as aw are of the
com position of th e Provincial High C o u rt List a n d the co n cu rren t list. It
w as co n tem p lated th a t in q u iries u n d e r Act 58 of 1979. are to be dealt
CA
Nimalaratne v. Asst: Commissioner o f Agrarian Services
(Jayasinghe, J.)_________________
185
w ith u n d e r th e c o n c u rre n t list, th e n it w ould n o t have given th e High
C o u rt pow er to deal w ith O rders u n d e r S .5 a n d 9 by Act 19 of 1990.
(5) If th e view th a t inqu iries u n d e r th e A grarian Services Act are n o t
am en ab le to w rit ju risd ic tio n of th e High C o u rt of th e Provinces is
su p p o rtab le, th e n Art. 154P(4) w ould be w ith o u t a n y m eaning.
(6) A grarian Services is devolved o n th e Provincial C ouncils a n d
m ech an ism for ad ju d icatio n of d isp u te s arisin g th erefrom is provided for
in th e A grarian Services Act a n d th e ap p ellate p ro ced u re is provided for
in Act 19 of 1990.
(7) C reation of th e High C o u rt of th e Provinces w as to give effect to the
devolution of pow er th a t a ro se w ith th e 13th A m endm ent.
APPEAL from th e o rd er of th e Provincial High C o u rt of Kegalle.
S.C.B. W algam paya w ith W.A.N. J a y a n a th a n d S.A.I.S. S u ra w eera for
Petitioner - ap p ellan t.
Nimal J a y a sin g h e w ith P.P. G u n a se n a fo r 2 nd R esp o n d en t - R espondent.
Cur. adv, vult.
J u ly 28, 2 0 0 0 .
JAYASINGHE. J .
T he P e titio n e r-A p p e lla n t filed th is a p p e a l a g a in s t th e
o rd e r of th e le a rn e d H igh C o u rt J u d g e o f th e P ro v in cial H igh
C o u rt o f Kegalle d a te d 2 8 . 07. 1 9 9 5 re fu s in g to is s u e a w rit of
c e rtio ra ri to s e t a s id e th e o rd e rs “P 1 4 ” a n d “P17".
T he P e titio n e r-A p p e lla n t a v e rre d t h a t th e 2 nd R e s p o n d e n tR e sp o n d e n t w ho w a s th e te n a n t c u ltiv a to r so ld h is a n d e rig h ts
to th e A p p e lla n t in th e y e a r 1975; t h a t u p o n a c o m p la in t m a d e
by th e 2 nd R e s p o n d e n t- R e s p o n d e n t t h a t h e h a s b e e n
unlaw fu lly d is p o s s e s s e d by th e A p p e lla n t, th e M a g is tra te a fte r
in q u iry m a d e u n d e r S e c tio n 6 6 o f th e P rim a ry C o u r ts
P ro c e d u re A ct p lac e d th e A p p e lla n t in p o s s e s s io n (P3). T h e re ­
a fte r th e 2 nd R e s p o n d e n t m a d e a n a p p lic a tio n u n d e r S e c tio n
5(3) of th e A g ra ria n S e rv ic e s A ct a g a in s t th e A p p e lla n t to th e
A s s is ta n t C o m m issio n e r a n d th e A s s is ta n t C o m m is s io n e r
m a d e a n e x p a rte o rd e r a g a in s t th e P e titio n e r-A p p e lla n t for n o n
a p p e a ra n c e (P4). T h e P e titio n e r-A p p e lla n t th e n filed affidavit
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120001 3 Sri L.R.
e x p la in in g h is d e fa u lt a n d th e e x p a rte o rd e r "P4” w as s e t asid e
by th e o rd e r “P7". T h e re a fte r th e C o m m issio n er ag a in so u g h t
to evict th e A p p e lla n t from th e la n d in q u e stio n by a n
a p p lic a tio n filed in th e M a g istra te 's C o u rt. However u p o n th e
A p p e lla n t e x p la in in g to th e C o m m issio n e r th a t "P4" h a d b een
s e t a s id e by th e o rd e r “P 7 “, th e C o m m issio n e r w ith d rew h is
a p p lic a tio n in th e M a g istra te ’s C ourt.
T h e re a fte r on a n a p p lic a tio n m a d e by th e 2 n,i R esp o n d en t,
th e 1st R e sp o n d e n t m a d e o rd e r (P I4) evicting th e A p p ellan t in
te rm s of “P4" w h ic h h a d a lre a d y b e e n w ithdraw m . T h e rea fte r
th e P e titio n e r m a d e a n a p p lic a tio n to th e 3"' R e sp o n d e n t to
h av e “P 1 4 ” s e t a s id e w h ic h w a s refu se d by o rd e r "P17".
T h e A p p e lla n t p re fe rre d a n a p p lic a tio n to th e Provincial
H igh C o u rt for a w rit of c e rtio ra ri to h av e “P I 4 ” a n d “P I 7" se t
asid e.
T h e le a rn e d H igh C o u rt J u d g e a fte r in q u iry held th a t even
th o u g h A g ric u ltu re a n d A g ra ria n S ervices a re s e t o u t in th e
P rovincial C o u n c il List, in q u irie s in re s p e c t of a n y of th e
m a tte r s re fe rre d to in th e Provincial C ouncil List a n d th e
m a tte r s re fe rre d to in th e C o n c u rre n t List a re n o t d e te rm in a b le
by th e P rovincial H igh C o u rt a n d th a t in q u irie s w ith reg a rd to
A g ra ria n S e rv ic e s fell o u t sid e th e w rit ju ris d ic tio n of th e
P rovincial H igh C o u rt a s it is n o t provided for in th e Provincial
C o u n cil List.
A cco rd in g to A rticle 154 P (4)
E v ery H ig h C o u r t s h a ll h a v e ju r is d ic tio n to is s u e ,
a c c o rd in g to law (a) o rd e rs in th e n a tu r e of h a b e a s corpus, in re s p e c t of
p e rs o n s illegally d e ta in e d w ith in th e Province; a n d
(b) o rd e r in th e n a tu r e of w rits of C e rtio rari, P ro h ib itio n ,
P ro c ed e n d o , M a n d a m u s a n d Q u o w a rra n to a g a in s t a n y
p e rs o n e x e rc isin g , w ith in th e Province, a n y pow er u n d e r
Nimabnratne v. Asst: Commissioner ojAgrarian Services
(Jayasinghe. J.)__________
CA
(i)
a n y law; o r
(ii)
a n y s ta tu te s m a d e by th e P rovincial
187
C o u n cil e s ta b lis h e d for th a t P rovince, in re s p e c t of a n y
m a tte r s e t o u t in th e Provincial C o u n c il List.
A ny law refe rre d to above is re fe ra b le to all m a tte r s s e t o u t
in th e List I.
L egislativ e a u th o r ity o f th e P ro v in c ia l C o u n c ils a re
provided for in th e 13th A m e n d m e n t.
Article 154G (1) p ro v id e s th a t;
Every P rovincial C o u n c il m ay , s u b je c t to th e p ro v isio n s of
th e C o n s titu tio n , m a k e s ta tu te s a p p lic a b le to th e P ro v in ce for
w h ic h it is e s ta b lis h e d , w ith re s p e c t to a n y m a tte r s e t o u t in
List I o f th e N in th S c h e d u le .
Article 154G (5) (a) p ro v id e s th a t;
P a rlia m e n t m a y m a k e law s w ith r e s p e c t to a n y m a tte r s e t
o u t in L ist III of th e N in th S c h e d u le a lte r s u c h c o n s u lta tio n
w ith all P rovincial C o u n c ils a s P a rlia m e n t m a y c o n s id e r
a p p ro p ria te in th e c ir c u m s ta n c e s of e a c h c ase.
(b)
E v e ry P ro v in c ia l C o u n c il m a y , s u b je c t to th e
p ro v isio n s of th e C o n s titu tio n , m a k e s ta t u te s a p p lic a b le to th e
Province for w h ic h it is e s ta b lis h e d , w ith re s p e c t to a n y m a tte r
o n th e C o n c u r r e n t L ist, a f te r s u c h c o n s u l t a t i o n w ith
P a r l i a m e n t a s it m a y c o n s i d e r a p p r o p r i a t e in t h e
c ir c u m s ta n c e s of e a c h c a se .
Article 154G (6) p ro v id e s th a t;
If a n y p ro v isio n s of a n y s ta tu te m a d e by th e P rovincial
C o uncil is in c o n s is ta n t w ith th e p ro v isio n s of a n y law m a d e in
a c c o rd a n c e w ith th e p re c e d in g p ro v isio n s of th is a rticle , th e
p ro v isio n s o f s u c h law sh a ll prevail a n d th e p ro v isio n s of th e
s ta tu te sh a ll, to th e e x te n t of s u c h in c o n s is ta n c y be void.
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I2000J 3 Sri LR.
T h erefo re th e pow er to e n a c t s ta tu te s is fo u n d in S ection
154G (1) s u b je c t to th e q u a lific a tio n s fo u n d in A rticles 154G
(5) (a), (b) a n d 154G (6).
T h e re w a s n o a rg u m e n t p re s e n te d before C o u rt th a t item
2 9 o n th e C o n c u rre n t List fell w ith in a n y of th e a rtic le s se t o u t
above.
Article 154G (7) p ro v id es th a t;
A P ro v in cial C o u n cil s h a ll h a v e no p ow er to m a k e s ta tu te s
o n a n y m a tte r s e t o u t in List II of th e N in th S c h e d u le of th e
R eserved List.
T he q u e s tio n for d e te rm in a tio n before th is C o u rt is w h e th e r
th e H igh C o u rt of th e P ro v in ces h a s th e ju ris d ic tio n to iss u e
o rd e rs in th e n a tu r e of w rits of c e rtio ra ri a n d pro h ib itio n
a g a in s t a n o rd e r m a d e by th e B o ard of Review u n d e r A grarian
S erv ices Act. Mr. J a y a s in g h e a rg u e d t h a t th e o rd e r of th e High
C o u r t J u d g e w a s s u p p o r ta b le o n th e g r o u n d t h a t th e
P ro v in cial H igh C o u rt la c k s ju ris d ic tio n to is s u e w rits to q u a s h
th e o rd e rs o r p ro h ib itin g th e e x e rc ise of p o w ers p e rta in in g to
th e s u b je c ts s e t o u t in th e C o n c u r re n t List of th e 13,h
A m e n d m e n t. He s u b m itte d t h a t even th o u g h th e s u b je c t of
A g ric u ltu re a n d A g ra ria n S ervices a re se t o u t in th e Provincial
C o u n c il List in q u irie s in re s p e c t of th e s e m a tte r s a re se t o u t in
th e C o n c u r re n t L ist a n d t h a t th e P rovincial H igh C o u rts
a s s u m e ju ris d ic tio n to is s u e w rits o nly in re s p e c t of s u b je c ts
s e t o u t in th e P ro v in cial C o u n cil List.
S ection 3 of th e High Court o f the Provinces (Special
Provisions) Act No. 19 o f 1990 p ro v id e s th a t;
A H ig h C o u r t e s ta b l is h e d b y A rtic le 1 5 4 P of th e
C o n s titu tio n for a P rovince sh a ll, s u b je c t to a n y law, exercise
a p p e lla te a n d re v is io n a iy ju ris d ic tio n in re s p e c t of o rd e rs
m a d e by L a b o u r T rib u n a ls w ith in t h a t Province a n d o rd ers
m a d e u n d e r se c tio n 5 o r s e c tio n 9 o f th e A g ra ria n S ervices Act,
CA
Nimalaratne u. Asst: Commissioner o f Agrarian Services
(Jayasingh, J.)
189
No. 5 8 of 1979, in r e s p e c t of a n y la n d s itu a te d w ith in t h a t
Province.
Section 4 p ro v id e s th a t;
A p a rty aggrieved b y a n y c o n v ictio n , s e n te n c e o r o rd e r,
e n te re d o r im p o se d , b y a M a g is tra te ’s C o u rt, a P rim a ry C o u rt,
a L ab o u r T rib u n a l o r by a n o rd e r m a d e u n d e r s e c tio n 5 o r
sectio n 9 of th e A g ra ria n S e rv ic e s A ct, No.. 5 8 o f 1979 m ay,
s u b je c t to th e p ro v isio n s of a n y w ritte n law a p p lic a b le to th e
p ro c e d u re a n d m a n n e r fo r a p p e a lin g a n d th e tim e for
p refe rrin g s u c h a p p e a ls , a p p e a l th e re fro m to th e H igh C o u rt
e s ta b lis h e d by A rticle 154P o f th e C o n s titu tio n for th e P rovince
w ith in w h ich s u c h c o u rt o r tr ib u n a ls is s itu a te d o r w ith in
w h ich th e la n d w h ic h is th e s u b je c t of th e o rd e r m a d e u n d e r
th e A g ra ria n S erv ices A ct, is s itu a te d .
Section 5 p ro v id e s th a t;
T he P rovisions of w ritte n law a p p lic a b le to a p p e a ls to th e
C o u rt of A ppeal, from c o n v ic tio n s, s e n te n c e s o r o r d e r s e n te re d
o r im p o sed by a M a g is tra te ’s C o u rt, a n d to a p p lic a tio n s m a d e
to th e C o u rt of A ppeal for re v isio n of a n y s u c h co n v ictio n ,
se n te n c e o r o rd e r s h a ll, m u ta tis m u ta n d is , a p p ly to a p p e a ls to
th e H igh C o u rt e s ta b lis h e d by A rticle 154P pf th e C o n s titu tio n
for a Province, from c o n v ic tio n s, s e n te n c e s or o r d e r s e n te re d
or im p o sed by M a g is tra te ’s C o u r ts , P rim a iy C o u r ts a n d
L ab o u r T rib u n a ls w ith in t h a t P ro v in ce a n d fro m o rd e rs m a d e
u n d e r se c tio n 5 o r s e c tio n 9 of th e A g ra ria n S e rv ic e s Act,
No. 58 of 1979, in re s p e c t o f la n d s itu a te d w ith in t h a t P ro v in ce
a n d to a p p lic a tio n s m a d e to s u c h H igh C o u rt, for re v isio n of
a n y s u c h co nviction, s e n te n c e o r o rd er.
A g ricu ltu re a n d A g ra ria n S e rv ic e s is a devolved s u b je c t.
Item 9 of th e P rovincial C o u n c il List p ro v id e s t h a t A g ric u ltu ra l
a n d A g rarian S e n d e e s 9:1 A g r i c u l t u r e , i n c l u d i n g a g r i c u l t u r a l e x t e n s i o n .
p ro m o tio n a n d e d u c a tio n for p ro v in c ial p u r p o s e s a n d
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a g r ic u ltu r a l s e rv ic e s (o th e r t h a n in in te r-p ro v in c ia l
irrig a tio n a n d la n d s e ttle m e n t sc h e m e s. S ta te lan d a n d
p la n ta tio n a g ric u ltu re );
9 :2 R e h a b ilita tio n a n d m a in te n a n c e of m in o r irrig atio n w orks;
9 :3 A g ric u ltu ra l r e s e a r c h , sa v e a n d e x c e p t in s titu tio n s
d e s ig n a te d a s n a tio n a l a g ric u ltu ra l re s e a rc h in s titu tio n s .
S ig n ifican tly th e re is no referen ce to in q u irie s u n d e r th e
A g ra ria n S erv ices in th e Provincial C ouncil List. It is for th is
r e a s o n t h a t th e H igh C o u rt J u d g e h a s com e to a finding t h a t
th e H igh C o u rt h a s n o ju ris d ic tio n to iss u e w rits of c e rtio ra ri
in r e s p e c t of m a tte r s p rovided for in th e A g rarian S ervices Act.
At th e tim e of th e p ro m u lg a tio n of th e 13th A m e n d m e n t
A g ra ria n S erv ices A ct 58 of 1979 w a s operative. S ectio n 5
p ro v id ed for in q u irie s by th e C o m m issio n e r w h e re th e re w as
e v ic tio n a n d S e c tio n 9 p ro v id e d for d e c id in g d is p u te s
re g a rd in g d e v o lu tio n of rig h ts of te n a n t c u ltiv a to rs. A ppeals to
th e B o a rd of Review w a s pro v id ed for u n d e r S ectio n 42(b) of th e
a g ra r ia n S erv ices A ct 4 of 1991. T h erefo re th e re w as th e
m e c h a n is m p ro v id ed in th e A g ra ria n S ervices Act to deal w ith
d is p u te s t h a t a ro s e o u t of m a tte r s re la te d to A g ra ria n Services.
T h e le g is la tu re w h e n e n a c tin g High C o u rt of th e P rovinces
(S pecial Provisions) Act No. 19 of 1990 w as a w a re of th e
c o m p o sitio n of th e P rovincial C o u n cil List a n d th e C o n c u rre n t
List. If it w a s in th e c o n te m p la tio n of th e le g isla tu re th a t
in q u irie s u n d e r A g ra ria n S erv ices Act a re to be d e a lt w ith
u n d e r th e C o n c u r re n t List, th e n it w ould n o t h av e given th e
H igh C o u rt pow er to d e a l w ith o rd e rs u n d e r S e c tio n 5 a n d 9 by
A ct No. 19 of 1990.
T h e le a rn e d H igh C o u rt J u d g e w a s in e rro r w h e n h e held
t h a t in q u irie s re fe rre d to a s a t ite m 2 9 in th e C o n c u rre n t List
in c lu d e d in q u ire s u n d e r S e c tio n 5 a n d 9 of th e A g ra ria n
S e rv ic e s Act.
CA
Nimalaratne v. Asst: Commissioner o f Agrarian Services
(Jayasinghe, J.)
191
A p rero g a tiv e w rit lies a g a in s t a n A d m in istra tiv e A u th o rity
a c tin g u n d e r s t a t u t e o r a g a in s t a n o r d e r m a d e b y a n
A d m in istra tiv e T rib u n a l. If th e view o f th e le a rn e d H igh C o u rt
J u d g e t h a t in q u irie s u n d e r A g ra ria n S erv ices A ct is n o t
a m e n a b le to w rit ju ris d ic tio n o f th e H igh C o u rt of th e P ro v in ces
is s u p p o rta b le , t h e n A rticle 1 54P (4) w o u ld b e w ith o u t
m ean in g . A g ra ria n S erv ices is devolved o n th e P ro v in cial
C o u n c ils a n d m e c h a n is m for a d ju d ic a tio n o f d is p u te s a ris in g
th e re fro m is p ro v id ed for in th e A g ra ria n S e rv ic e s A ct a n d th e
A ppellate P ro c e d u re is pro v id ed for in th e H igh C o u rt of th e
P rovinces S p e c ia l P ro v isio n s Law. T h e a rg u m e n t th a t th e H igh
C o u rt of th e P ro v in ces is devoid of w rit ju ris d ic tio n is th e re fo re
in -c o n g ru o u s. T h e c re a tio n of th e H igh C o u rt of th e P ro v in c e s
w a s to give effect to th e d e v o lu tio n o f p o w e r t h a t a ro s e w ith th e
13th A m e n d m e n t.
W e h o ld t h a t th e le a rn e d H igh C o u rt J u d g e w a s in e rro r
w h e n h e h e ld t h a t a p rero g a tiv e w rit to q u a s h th e p ro c e e d in g s
m a d e u n d e r th e A g ra ria n S e rv ic e s A ct is o u t s id e th e
ju r is d ic tio n of th e H igh C o u rt. P re lim in a ry o b je c tio n is
overruled.
JAYAWICKRAMA, J.
-
I
agree.
Prelim inary O bjection O verruled High C ourt h a s ju risd ictio n .