OpenLegislation

Sri Lanka Independence Act 1947

11 & 12 Geo. 6 c. 7 · Enacted 10 December 1947 · Extends to United Kingdom

Up to date with all changes known to legislation.gov.uk, revised to 1 January 1996.

An Act to make provision for, and in connection with, the attainment byF1 Sri Lanka of fully responsible status within the British Commonwealth of Nations.

[10th December 1947]

Annotations to the whole text

Textual amendments

F1

For references to “Ceylon” in this Act there are substituted references to “Sri Lanka” by virtue of Sri Lanka Republic Act 1972 (c. 55, SIF 26:40), s. 1(4)

Contents

  1. 1Provision for the fully responsible status of Sri Lanka.
  2. 2. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  3. 3. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  4. 4Consequential amendments not affecting the law of Sri Lanka.
  5. 5Short title and commencement.
  6. Schedule FIRST: Legislative Powers of Sri Lanka
  7. 1Paragraph 1
  8. 2Paragraph 2
  9. 3Paragraph 3 Repealed
  10. 4Paragraph 4
  11. Schedule SECOND: Amendments not Affecting Law of Sri Lanka
  12. 1Paragraph 1 Repealed
  13. 2Paragraph 2 Repealed
  14. 3Paragraph 3 Repealed
  15. 4Paragraph 4 Repealed
  16. Visiting forces
  17. 5Paragraph 5
  18. Ships and aircraft
  19. 6Paragraph 6 Repealed
  20. 7Paragraph 7 Repealed
  21. 8Paragraph 8
  22. Matrimonial causes
  23. 9Paragraph 9 Repealed
  24. 10Paragraph 10 Repealed

1Provision for the fully responsible status of Sri Lanka.F1

(1)

No Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom passed on or after the appointed day shall extend, or be deemed to extend, to Sri Lanka as part of the law of Sri Lanka, unless it is expressly declared in that Act that Sri Lanka has requested, and consented to, the enactment thereof.

(2)

As from the appointed day His Majesty’s Government in the United Kingdom shall have no responsibility for the government of Sri Lanka.

(3)

As from the appointed day the provisions of the First Schedule to this Act shall have effect with respect to the legislative powers of .

2. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F1

3. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F1

4Consequential amendments not affecting the law of Sri Lanka.F2

(1)

As from the appointed day, the Acts and Regulations referred to in the Second Schedule to this Act shall have effect subject to the amendments made by that Schedule . . . F1:

Provided that this subsection shall not extend to Sri Lanka as part of the law thereof.

(2)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F3

3), (4)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F4

(5)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F5

5Short title and commencement.

(1)

This Act may be cited as the F1Sri Lanka Independence Act 1947.

C1(2)

In this Act the expression “the appointed day” means such day as His Majesty may by Order in Council appoint.

1

(1)

The M1Colonial Laws Validity Act 1865, shall not apply to any law made after the appointed day by the Parliament of F1Sri Lanka.

(2)

No law and no provision of any law made after the appointed day by the Parliament of Sri Lanka shall be void or inoperative on the ground that it is repugnant to the law of England, or to the provisions of any existing or future Act of Parliament of the United Kingdom, or to any order, rule or regulation made under any such Act, and the powers of the Parliament of Sri Lanka shall include the power to repeal or amend any such Act, order, rule or regulation in so far as the same is part of the law of Sri Lanka.

2

The Parliament of F1Sri Lanka shall have full power to make laws having extra-territorial operation.

3F1

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

4

Without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing provisions of this Schedule, section four of the M1Colonial Courts of Admiralty Act 1890 (which requires certain laws to be reserved for the signification of His Majesty’s pleasure or to contain a suspending clause), and so much of section seven of that Act as requires the approval of His Majesty in Council to any rules of Court for regulating the practice and procedure of a Colonial Court of Admiralty, shall cease to have effect in F1Sri Lanka.

1

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F1

2

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F1

3

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F1

4

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F1

5

The following provisions of the M1Visiting Forces (British Commonwealth) Act 1933, namely—

(a)

section three (which deals with deserters);

(b)

section four (which deals with attachment and mutual powers of command);

(c)

the definition of “visiting force” for the purposes of that Act generally which is contained in section eight thereof;

shall apply in relation to forces raised in F1Sri Lanka as they apply in relation to forces raised in the Dominions within the meaning of the M2Statute of Westminster, 1931.

6

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F1

7

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F1

8

In the M1Whaling Industry (Regulation) Act 1934, the expression “British ship to which this Act applies” shall not include a British ship registered in F1Sri Lanka.

9

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F1

10

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F1