During the period of the Sinhala Kings, all lands belonged to the King and ownership of lands depended on possessing and enjoying same. These were hereditary lands. Lands were disposed under Nindagam, Viharagam etc.
The ownership of lands was thus prevalent, when Sri Lanka became a colony under the British in 1815 and the implementation of the Arid Lands Act of 1897, made changes in the Ordinance introduced in 1840, regarding unauthorized occupation of Crown Lands.
With the implementation of this Act, a major portion of lands available in Sri Lanka became Crown Lands and with this a large number of native people of Sri Lanka who were enjoying lands by way of hereditary, lost their rights for lands.
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