
Sri Lanka Independence Act 1947
1947 CHAPTER 7 11 and 12 Geo 6
An Act to make provision for, and in connection with, the attainment by[ Sri Lanka] of fully responsible status within the British Commonwealth of Nations.
[10th December 1947]
1 Provision for the fully responsible status of [Sri Lanka].U.K.
(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. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . U.K.
3. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . U.K.
4 Consequential amendments not affecting the law of [Sri Lanka].U.K.
(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 . . . :
Provided that this subsection shall not extend to [Sri Lanka] as part of the law thereof.
(2). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
(3), (4). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
(5). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
5 Short title and commencement.U.K.
(1)This Act may be cited as the [Sri Lanka] Independence Act 1947.
(2)In this Act the expression “the appointed day” means such day as His Majesty may by Order in Council appoint.
Textual Amendments
Modifications etc. (not altering text)
SCHEDULES
Section 1.
FIRST SCHEDULEU.K. Legislative Powers of [Sri Lanka]
1(1)The Colonial Laws Validity Act 1865, shall not apply to any law made after the appointed day by the Parliament of [Sri Lanka].U.K.
(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].
Textual Amendments
Marginal Citations
2U.K.The Parliament of [Sri Lanka] shall have full power to make laws having extra-territorial operation.
3U.K.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
4U.K.Without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing provisions of this Schedule, section four of the Colonial 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 [Sri Lanka].
Textual Amendments
Marginal Citations
Section 4.
SECOND SCHEDULEU.K. Amendments not Affecting Law of [Sri Lanka]
1U.K.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
2U.K.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
3U.K.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
4U.K.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Visiting forcesU.K.
5U.K.The following provisions of the Visiting 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 [Sri Lanka] as they apply in relation to forces raised in the Dominions within the meaning of the Statute of Westminster, 1931.
Textual Amendments
Marginal Citations
Ships and aircraftU.K.
6U.K.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
7U.K.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
8U.K.In the Whaling Industry (Regulation) Act 1934, the expression “British ship to which this Act applies” shall not include a British ship registered in [Sri Lanka].
Textual Amendments
Marginal Citations
Matrimonial causesU.K.
9U.K.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
10U.K.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .