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    Sri Lanka <a href="https://constitutionwatchdog.org/crime-data-accountability-index/">Constitution</a> Profile | Constitution Watchdog
    Sri Lanka Constitution profile: an article-level guide to the 1978 Constitution, unitary state, sovereignty of the People, executive presidency, Parliament, judiciary, fundamental rights, Buddhism, language, provincial councils and amendment procedure.
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    South Asia · Sri Lanka Constitution profile

    Sri Lanka

    Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka · Unitary State · Constitution of 1978.
    This Sri Lanka country profile explains the constitutional structure of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka: sovereignty is in the People; legislative power is exercised by Parliament and by the People at a referendum; executive power, including defence, is exercised by the President elected by the People; and judicial power is exercised through courts, tribunals and institutions established or recognized by the Constitution or by law.
    Republic
    Free, sovereign, independent and democratic socialist republic
    Article 1
    State form
    Unitary State
    Article 2
    Sovereignty
    In the People
    Includes powers of government, fundamental rights and franchise · Article 3
    Legislature
    Parliament of 225 Members
    Article 62

    Sri Lanka Constitution at a glance

    1978 Constitution

    The Constitution of Sri Lanka establishes the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka as a unitary state in which sovereignty is in the People and includes governmental power, fundamental rights and the franchise. The Constitution organizes power through the President, Parliament, the Cabinet of Ministers, the judiciary, independent commissions, provincial councils and referendum-based constitutional controls.

    This country profile is designed for readers searching for Sri Lanka’s constitutional system, the 1978 Constitution of Sri Lanka, fundamental rights in Sri Lanka, Article 9 Buddhism, Sinhala and Tamil language provisions, the President and Parliament, the Supreme Court, devolution through Provincial Councils, and amendment rules under Articles 82 and 83.

    Overview

    Constitutional overview

    Preamble · Arts. 1–8

    The Constitution opens with the objective of constituting Sri Lanka into a Democratic Socialist Republic and describes the Constitution as the supreme law of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka. Its constitutional identity is not federal: Article 2 states that the Republic of Sri Lanka is a unitary state.

    Articles 1 to 4 provide the basic architecture. Sri Lanka is identified as a free, sovereign, independent and democratic socialist republic. Sovereignty is in the People and includes the powers of government, fundamental rights and the franchise. The Constitution then distributes the exercise of sovereignty through Parliament and referendum, an elected President, and courts and institutions established or recognized by law.

    The Constitution also contains national identity provisions: the territory consists of twenty-five administrative districts and territorial waters; the national flag is the Lion Flag; the national anthem is “Sri Lanka Matha”; and the national day is 4 February.

    Identity and constitutional structure

    Arts. 1–4, 9, 18–19
    Constitutional nameDemocratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka.
    State formUnitary State.
    SovereigntyInalienably in the People, including government power, fundamental rights and franchise.
    Religion clauseBuddhism receives the foremost place, with religious rights preserved through Articles 10 and 14(1)(e).
    Official languagesSinhala; Tamil also an official language; English is the link language.
    National languagesSinhala and Tamil.
    Constitutional principles
    People’s sovereigntyArticle 3 makes sovereignty in the People inalienable and connects it to rights, franchise and government power.
    Unitary stateArticle 2 gives Sri Lanka a unitary constitutional identity, even though provincial council arrangements appear later.
    Foremost place to BuddhismArticle 9 protects and fosters the Buddha Sasana while preserving religious rights under Articles 10 and 14(1)(e).
    Entrenched amendment controlsArticles 82 and 83 regulate constitutional amendment, including referendum approval for certain entrenched provisions.
    Institutions
    Executive

    President and Cabinet

    Article 30 establishes a President who is Head of State, Head of the Executive and of the Government, and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces. The President is elected by the People for a five-year term. Articles 42 to 53 organize the President’s responsibility to Parliament, the Prime Minister, Cabinet of Ministers, other ministers, deputy ministers and related executive offices.
    Legislature

    Parliament

    Article 62 establishes a Parliament consisting of 225 Members elected in accordance with the Constitution. Unless Parliament is sooner dissolved, it continues for five years from the date appointed for its first meeting. Legislative procedure, Speaker certification and the point at which a Bill becomes law are addressed in Articles 75 to 80.
    Judiciary

    Supreme Court, Court of Appeal and High Court

    Article 105 identifies the institutions for the administration of justice: the Supreme Court, the Court of Appeal, the High Court and such other courts, tribunals or institutions as Parliament may establish. The Supreme Court and Court of Appeal are superior courts of record, and the Supreme Court exercises constitutional jurisdiction over Bills and constitutional interpretation.

    Fundamental rights

    Arts. 10–17

    Chapter III contains the core rights catalogue. It includes freedom of thought, conscience and religion; freedom from torture; equality and equal protection; protections against arbitrary arrest, detention and punishment; freedoms of speech, assembly, association, occupation and movement; access to information; and restrictions on rights under Article 15.

    The remedial structure is especially important: Article 17 connects rights violations by executive or administrative action to the Supreme Court remedy under Article 126. Existing written and unwritten law continues under Article 16, creating an important constitutional design issue for rights analysis.

    Rights matrix

    Ch. III
    Religion and conscienceArticle 10 protects thought, conscience and religion; Article 14(1)(e) protects religious manifestation.
    EqualityArticle 12 covers equality before law, equal protection and non-discrimination grounds.
    Personal libertyArticle 13 regulates arrest, detention, punishment and fair-process protections.
    Expression and civic freedomsArticle 14 covers speech, publication, peaceful assembly, association and occupation.
    InformationArticle 14A recognizes a right of access to information subject to prescribed limitations.
    Supreme Court remedyArticle 17, read with Article 126, provides the central constitutional remedy for infringement.
    Religion, language and territorial integrity

    Buddhism and religious freedom

    Arts. 9, 10, 14

    Article 9 gives Buddhism the foremost place and requires the State to protect and foster the Buddha Sasana. The same provision expressly preserves the rights granted to all religions by Articles 10 and 14(1)(e), making the religious architecture both preferential and rights-qualified.

    Language chapter

    Arts. 18–25

    Article 18 declares Sinhala the official language, provides that Tamil shall also be an official language, and identifies English as the link language. Article 19 declares Sinhala and Tamil to be the national languages. The remaining language provisions regulate use in Parliament, administration, legislation, courts and instruction.

    Territorial integrity

    Arts. 5, 157A

    Article 5 defines the territory of the Republic by reference to twenty-five administrative districts and territorial waters. Article 157A prohibits support for the establishment of a separate State within the territory of Sri Lanka, making territorial integrity a direct constitutional prohibition.

    Devolution and commissions

    Provincial Councils

    Arts. 154A–154T

    Chapter XVIIA creates the constitutional framework for Provincial Councils. It provides for provincial institutions, Governors, membership, terms of office, Boards of Ministers, provincial statutes, assent, public-security controls, financial provisions, provincial High Courts and a Finance Commission.

    Sri Lanka remains a unitary state under Article 2. Provincial Councils are therefore best understood as constitutionally structured devolution within a unitary framework, not as federal constituent units.

    Independent and service commissions

    Arts. 41A, 103, 111D, 153A, 155A

    The Constitution includes institutional checks through the Constitutional Council and several commissions. The Judicial Service Commission is constituted under Article 111D. The Audit Service Commission begins at Article 153A. The National Police Commission begins at Article 155A. Election administration is addressed through the Election Commission framework in Chapter XIV.

    Amendment, referendum and judicial review

    Constitutional amendment procedure

    Arts. 82–84

    Article 82 regulates constitutional amendment or repeal and requires that the amendment or repeal be expressly stated. Article 83 requires approval by the People at a referendum for certain entrenched constitutional changes. Article 84 deals with Bills inconsistent with the Constitution.

    These provisions make Sri Lanka’s constitutional amendment process a combination of parliamentary supermajority procedure and, for entrenched subjects, direct popular approval by referendum.

    Supreme Court constitutional jurisdiction

    Arts. 118–126

    The Supreme Court’s jurisdiction includes constitutional jurisdiction over Bills, interpretation of the Constitution, final appellate jurisdiction, consultative jurisdiction, election-petition jurisdiction, breach of parliamentary privilege and fundamental-rights jurisdiction. Article 120 addresses constitutional jurisdiction over Bills, while Article 126 is central to rights enforcement.

    Profile timeline
    1977
    The constitutional preamble refers to the popular mandate expressed on 21 July 1977 to draft, adopt and operate a new republican constitution.
    1978
    The Constitution established the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka with a directly elected executive President and a 225-member Parliament.
    13th Am.
    The devolution and language architecture became central to the constitutional framework, including Provincial Councils and the Sinhala-Tamil language settlement.
    21st Am.
    The later reform cycle restored or revised constitutional-council and commission-linked appointment controls in several institutional areas.
    Frequently asked questions

    What is the Constitution of Sri Lanka?

    It is the supreme constitutional law of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka. It establishes Sri Lanka as a free, sovereign, independent and democratic socialist republic and as a unitary state.

    What type of state is Sri Lanka under the Constitution?

    Article 2 states that the Republic of Sri Lanka is a unitary state. That remains the central constitutional classification even though Chapter XVIIA provides for Provincial Councils.

    Who exercises executive power in Sri Lanka?

    Under Article 4(b), executive power of the People, including defence, is exercised by the President elected by the People. Article 30 describes the President as Head of State, Head of the Executive and of the Government, and Commander-in-Chief.

    How many members are in Sri Lanka’s Parliament?

    Article 62 provides for a Parliament consisting of 225 Members elected in accordance with the Constitution. Unless sooner dissolved, Parliament continues for five years from its first meeting.

    What does Article 9 say about Buddhism?

    Article 9 gives Buddhism the foremost place and requires the State to protect and foster the Buddha Sasana, while assuring all religions the rights granted by Articles 10 and 14(1)(e).

    How is the Constitution amended?

    Article 82 governs amendment or repeal. Article 83 requires referendum approval for certain entrenched provisions, so some constitutional changes need both parliamentary and popular approval.

    Primary article map

    Primary article guide

    For legal review
    Articles 1–4State, unitary structure, sovereignty of the People and exercise of sovereignty.
    Articles 5–8Territory, national flag, national anthem and national day.
    Article 9Buddhism and rights of all religions through Articles 10 and 14(1)(e).
    Articles 10–17Fundamental rights, restrictions and Supreme Court remedy structure.
    Articles 18–25Official language, national languages, administrative and court-language provisions.
    Articles 30–41President, election, term, powers, immunity and removal architecture.
    Articles 42–53President’s responsibility to Parliament, Prime Minister and Cabinet structure.
    Article 62Parliament of 225 Members and five-year parliamentary term unless sooner dissolved.
    Articles 75–87Legislative procedure, amendment procedure and referendum provisions.
    Articles 105–111MJudiciary and Judicial Service Commission.
    Articles 118–136Supreme Court jurisdiction, including constitutional jurisdiction and fundamental rights.
    Articles 154A–154TProvincial Councils, Governors, Boards of Ministers and provincial High Court provisions.
    This public profile cites constitutional article locations for legal traceability, public readability and search discoverability within Constitution Watchdog’s country-profile system.
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