K’gamar’s son petitions court over acquisition of land

1 August 2013 07:51 pm

Former Foreign Affairs Minister the late Lakshman Kadirgamar’s son in a Writ Application before the Court of Appeal bemoans there are moves afoot to acquire his ancestral property in the Jaffna district by the State.

S. J. Christian Kadirgamar, the son of late Lakshmanathan Kadirgamar in his petition cited Minister of Land & Land Development Janaka Bandara Thennakoon, Jaffna District Land Acquiring Officer and the Land Survey Officer as Respondents.

Petitioner who served as a Consultant Environmental Designer to the UDA in 1995 states that the longest serving Army Commander of the Navy Admiral Rajanathan Kadirgamar, the youngest Major in the Ceylon Army Selvanathan Kadirgamar and eminent Queen’s Counsel Sam Kadirgamar were his uncles.

He states his ancestral property called “Alvarmalaiyady” is situated at Maviddapuram in the Tellipallai Parish of Valikamam North Division of the Jaffna District off the Keerimalai – Kankesanthurai Road in close proximity of several Hindu places of worships.

He states that he visited his land in May 2013 and that under the direction of the Minister of Lands and Lands Development, the Land Acquiring Officer has issued a notice for the requirement for a public purpose but goes on to describe the reason for the supposed land requirement as Defence Battalion Headquarters (Jaffna).

He laments despite the conclusion of the war, the state security forces have continued for many years to remain in possession of the area.

He contends the purported notices are unlawful, in that the said notices refer to ‘regularising handover of area on which High Security Zone(Palaly and Kankesanthurai) is established despite the lands within the are specified in the notice not forming part of any High Security Zone recognized by law.

The petitioner apprehends the claim in the notice is an attempt to evade the statutory duty imposed by Land Acquisition Act and seeking the Court to issue a Writ of Prohibition preventing the Respondents from acquiring his ancestral property. (S.S.Selvanayagam)