Sri Lanka is an Independent Democratic Socialist Republic with a unitary form of Government and a multiparty system. Sovereign power rests with the people and is exercised through elected Members of Parliament. All Citizens over 18 years of age are eligible to vote at the elections. The Head of State in Sri Lanka is the President who governs with full executive powers with the assistance of a cabinet which is responsible to the Parliament.

The President and the Representatives of the parliament are elected by the people for a six-year term. Sri Lanka maintains the highest standards of freedom and human rights.

The Executive consists of the President of the Democratic Socialist Republic who is the head of the state and the government and the commander-in-chief of the armed forces elected directly by the people at periodical elections.

The President shall be responsible to Parliament. The President shall be a member and the Head of the Cabinet of Ministers.

Legislature (Parliament) which exercises the Sovereignty of the people consists of 225 representatives from whom the President shall appoint as Prime Minister the Member of Parliament who in his opinion is most likely to command the confidence of Parliament.

CURRENT GOVERNMENT AND CONSTITUTION INFORMATION

Country Name : conventional long form: Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka
conventional short form: Sri Lanka
former: Serendib, Ceylon

Administrative Division : 8 provinces; Central, North Central, North Eastern, North Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern, Uva, Western; note - North Eastern province may have been divided in two - Northern and Eastern

Legal System : a highly complex mixture of English common law, Roman-Dutch, Muslim, Sinhalese, and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage : 18 years of age; universal

Executive Branch :
chief of state: President Chandrika Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA (since 12 November 1994);
prime minister: Ranil WICKREMASINGHE (since 9 December 2001). In Sri Lanka the president is considered both the chief of state and head of government, in contrast to the more common practice of dividing the roles between the president and the prime minister when both offices exist
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president in consultation with the prime minister
elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term; election last held 21 December 1999 (next to be held NA December 2005)
election results: Chandrika Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA reelected president; percent of vote - Chandrika Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA (PA) 51%, Ranil WICKREMASINGHE (UNP) 42%, other 7%

Legislative Branch:
unicameral Parliament (225 seats; members elected by popular vote on the basis of a modified proportional representation system by district to serve six-year terms)
elections: last held 7 December 2001 (next to be held NA December 2007)
election results: percent of vote by party or electoral alliance - UNP, SLMC and CWC 46.8%, PA and EPDP 38%, JVP 9.1%, Tamil National Alliance 3.89%, PLOTE 0.19%;
seats by party or electoral alliance : UNP, SLMC and CWC 114, PA and EPDP 79, JVP 16, Tamil National Alliance 15, PLOTE 1

Judicial Branch : Supreme Court; Court of Appeals; judges for both courts are appointed by the president