Sri Lanka, Jan. 31 -- This case began with an action initiated by the landlord, who is the plaintiff-respondent, to eject the tenant, the defendant-appellant, from the business premises located at Grand Bazaar Road, Jaffna. The landlord bases his eviction action on the submission that the premises are "reasonably required" for his business purposes. Notably, it is established that the premises in question fall under terms of the Rent Act, No. 7 of 1972, with an annual value lower than the defined "relevant amount" then applicable. The landlord had acquired ownership of the property in September 1973, very much after the tenant began his occupation in 1948.

A critical component of the case centres around the statutory requirements under t...