Land & property

ඉඩම් සහ දේපළ · காணி மற்றும் சொத்து

Deeds, title, disputes, state land

Situations

• Buying land or a house · ඉඩමක් හෝ නිවසක් මිලදී ගැනීම · காணி அல்லது வீடு வாங்குதல்
• You mortgaged land and can't repay the loan · ඔබ ඉඩම උකස් කර ණය ගෙවීමට නොහැකි වී ඇත · காணியை அடமானம் வைத்து கடனைச் செலுத்த முடியவில்லை
• Someone is occupying your land · යමෙක් ඔබේ ඉඩමේ පදිංචි වී සිටී · யாரோ உங்கள் காணியை ஆக்கிரமித்துள்ளனர்
• Boundary dispute with a neighbour · අසල්වැසියා සමඟ මායිම් ආරවුලක් · அயலவருடன் எல்லைப் பிணக்கு
• Dividing family land (partition) · පවුලේ ඉඩම බෙදීම (බෙදුම් නඩුව) · குடும்பக் காணியைப் பிரித்தல் (பிரிவினை)
• The government is acquiring your land · රජය ඔබේ ඉඩම අත්පත් කර ගනී · அரசு உங்கள் காணியைச் சுவீகரிக்கிறது
• You live on State land with a permit · ඔබ බලපත්‍රයක් සහිතව රජයේ ඉඩමක ජීවත් වේ · அனுமதிப்பத்திரத்துடன் அரச காணியில் வசிக்கிறீர்கள்
• Someone forged a deed to my land · කෙනෙක් මගේ ඉඩමට ව්‍යාජ ඔප්පුවක් සැකසුවා · ஒருவர் என் காணிக்குப் போலி உறுதி தயாரித்தார்
• Protecting my land with a caveat · කේවියට් එකකින් මගේ ඉඩම ආරක්ෂා කිරීම · கேவியட் மூலம் என் காணியைப் பாதுகாத்தல்
• Thesawalamai: first right to buy family land · තේසවලාමේ: පවුලේ ඉඩම් මිලදී ගැනීමේ පළමු අයිතිය · தேசவழமை: குடும்பக் காணியை வாங்கும் முன்னுரிமை

Acts, ordinances and regulations

• Prevention of Frauds Ordinance (No. 7 of 1840) — A sale, gift, transfer or mortgage of land is valid only by a written deed signed before a notary and two witnesses.
• Prevention of Frauds (Amendment) Act, No. 30 of 2022 — Each signer must also put a thumb impression on the deed; deeds are now made in triplicate.
• Registration of Documents Ordinance (No. 23 of 1927) — Deeds are registered at the Land Registry; an unregistered deed loses priority to a later registered deed.
• Registration of Title Act, No. 21 of 1998 — The Bim Saviya title system: land gets a unique number, a map and a State-guaranteed title.
• Prescription Ordinance (No. 22 of 1871) — A person who possesses land openly and without disturbance for ten years against the owner may claim title.
• Partition Law, No. 21 of 1977 — Co-owners can ask the District Court to divide shared land, or to sell it and share the money.
• Land Development Ordinance (No. 19 of 1935) — Rules for State land given on permits and grants, nominating successors, and cancelling permits.
• State Lands (Recovery of Possession) Act, No. 7 of 1979 — Lets officials remove unauthorised occupiers of State land through a quit notice and the Magistrate's Court.
• Land Acquisition Act (No. 9 of 1950) — The State may take private land for a public purpose but must pay compensation; owners can object and appeal.
• Primary Courts' Procedure Act, No. 44 of 1979 (Part VII) — Land disputes that threaten a breach of the peace go to the Primary Court, which protects possession until a civil court decides.
• Mortgage Act (No. 6 of 1949) — How a mortgage over land is enforced through a court case (hypothecary action) and court sale.
• Recovery of Loans by Banks (Special Provisions) Act, No. 4 of 1990 — Lets a bank board sell mortgaged property by public auction without going to court (parate execution).
• Recovery of Loans by Banks (Special Provisions) (Amendment) Act, No. 26 of 2024 — Temporarily stopped bank auctions of mortgaged property until 15 December 2024.
• Powers of Attorney (Amendment) Act, No. 28 of 2022 — Powers of attorney must be notarised and registered; land deals by attorney need extra checks by the notary.
• Apartment Ownership Law, No. 11 of 1973 — Allows flats (condominium parcels) to be owned separately, with a management corporation for common areas.
• Thesawalamai Pre-emption Ordinance (No. 59 of 1947) — Gives co-owners and heirs of Thesawalamai property first right to buy an undivided share before it is sold to outsiders.
• Registration of Documents (Amendment) Act, No. 32 of 2022 — Revised the rules on caveats and their cancellation at the Land Registry.
• Penal Code (Ordinance No. 2 of 1883) — Forgery and using forged documents as genuine are crimes.