Is this what we are to expect from a Grama Sevaka?

Last week, my daughter went to get the certification of her new residency/tenancy in an Armour Street flat, Colombo 12 from the GS, D.W. Prematileka (who is in charge of New Bazaar) whose office is also located in another block of Armour Street flat.

This was one of the several documents required by the CEB to change the existing name in the electricity bill to her’s, being the present owner. She took with her all the relevant documents – the original deed which is in her name, her National Identity, the current electricity bill which carries the name of the very first owner, CMC’s annual tax receipt, the CEB’s application form duly completed, etc.  

Incidentally, my daughter is the fourth owner of this house and the previous owners have continued to occupy the said premises without changing the name in the electricity bill i.e. the bill continued to remain in favour of the initial owner.

In order to give the certification, the GS was insisting that we get a letter from the very first owner. (God only knows whether he is amongst the living!!!) Or else, a letter from the NHDA to say that the Authority does not have any objection whatsoever. When my daughter produced the deed of the house, he refused to certify saying that even he can a produce a deed for my daughter’s house in his name, and so on. He also said that there could be objection from the first owner (when he was no more the owner as the ownership of the above house has changed so many times) for which he will be accountable.

I had to take all the documents the following day to NHDA and a lady officer at this institution who went through the deed mentioned that they need not have to issue any letter as this was an original deed registered at the Land Registry and so on. 

We were just driven from pillar to post to get the certificate of tenancy? Is this what we are to expect from a GS? Over to the relevant Ministry in charge to guide GS regarding their functions as otherwise the people will be very much inconvenienced whenever they have to get similar certifications from the GS. 

Mohamed Zahran

Colombo 14