Parliament of Sri Lanka

“ Unless Parliament otherwise provides, the Republic of Sri Lanka shall continue to possess and exercise all powers, privileges, immunities and rights whatsoever possessed, exercised or exercisable immediately prior to the commencement of the Constitution. ”

“ Notwithstanding the death, removal from office or resignation of the Prime Minister, during the period intervening between the dissolution of Parliament and the conclusion of the General Election, the Cabinet of Ministers shall continue to function with the other Ministers of the Cabinet as its members until the conclusion of the General Election. The President may appoint one such Minister to exercise, perform and discharge, or may himself exercise, perform and discharge the powers, duties and functions of the Prime Minister. ”

“ The Republic of Sri Lanka is a Unitary State.
Sovereignty of the People.
3. In the Republic of Sri Lanka sovereignty is in the people and is inalienable. Sovereignty includes the powers of government, fundamental rights and the franchise.
Exercise of Sovereignty.
4. The Sovereignty of the People shall be exercised and enjoyed in the following manner :-
(a) the legislative power of the People shall be exercised by Parliament, consisting of elected representatives of the People and by the People at a Referendum ”

“ It shall not be a contravention of the provisions of paragraph (1) of this Article for Parliament to make any law containing any provision empowering any person or body to make subordinate legislation for prescribed purposes, including the power—
(a) to appoint a date on which any law or any part thereof shall come into effect or cease to have effect;
(b) to make by order any law or any part thereof applicable to any locality or to any class of persons; and
(c) to create a legal person, by an order or an act. ”

“ Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in any other provision of the Constitution -
(a) the first Parliament shall consist of one hundred and sixty-eight members, and subject to the succeeding provisions of this Article, all persons who immediately before the commencement of the Constitution were members of the National State Assembly shall be deemed to have been elected as Members of Parliament ”

“ I emphasize this Parliament has upon it, the responsibility to raise Sri Lanka as a great democratic nation forging ahead.
Honorable Speaker,
The greatest wealth of our country is our human resource. I believe that the unparalleled development of it is the key to the development of our country. As the modern world is achieving great technological successes, a country can grow beyond middle-income level, only through developing its skilled workforce. ”

“ Where there is a law with respect to any matter on the Concurrent List on the date on which this Chapter comes into force, and a Provincial Council established for a Province subsequently makes a statute on the same matter inconsistent with that law, the provisions of the law shall, unless Parliament, by resolution, decides to the contrary, remain suspended and be inoperative within that Province, with effect from the date on which that statute receives assent and so long only as that statute is in force. ”

“ Where the Supreme Court reports to Parliament that in its opinion the President is permanently incapable of discharging the functions of his office by reason of mental or physical infirmity or that the President has been guilty of any of the other allegations contained in such resolution, as the case may be, Parliament may by a resolution passed by not less than two-thirds of the whole number of Members (including those not present) voting in its favour remove the President from office. ”

“ No Bill for the repeal of the Constitution shall be placed on the Order Paper of Parliament unless the Bill contains provisions replacing the Constitution and is described in the long title thereof as being an Act for the repeal and replacement of the Constitution. ”

“ If the Attorney-General is of the opinion that a Bill contravenes any of the requirements of paragraphs (1) and (2) of Article 82 or that any provision in a Bill cannot be validly passed except by the special majority prescribed by the Constitution, he shall communicate such opinion to the President:
Provided that in the case of an amendment proposed to a Bill in Parliament, the Attorney-General shall communicate his opinion to the Speaker at the stage when the Bill is ready to be put to Parliament for its acceptance. ”

“ Even Human Rights researchers have to live, and without exaggerations they may not be taken seriously in an increasingly dangerous world. Much more serious is the congruence of her recommendations with those of the LTTE and also the main opposition party, both of which dream of getting rid of the duly elected government – elected not only at the Presidential election of 2005 but also at the Parliamentary election of 2004.
How does one get rid of an elected government? One is by winning over members of Parliament. ”

“ No act of such person or proceeding held before such person, prior to such determination, shall be deemed to be invalid by reason of such determination;
“law” means any Act of Parliament, and any law enacted by any legislature at any time prior to the com­mencement of the Constitution and includes an Order in Council ”

“ Where the President dissolves Parliament and fixes a date or dates for a General Election the President may, unless Parliament has already made provision in that behalf, authorize the issue from the Consolidated Fund and the expenditure of such sums as he may, after consultation with the Commissioner of Elections, consider necessary for such elections. ”

“ Whenever the office of Speaker, Deputy Speaker or Deputy Chairman of Committees becomes vacant otherwise than as a result of a dissolution of Parliament, Parliament shall at its first meeting after the occurrence of the vacancy elect another Member to be the Speaker, the Deputy Speaker or the Deputy Chairman of Committees, as the case may be. ”