Discuss the personal laws applicable in Sri Lanka and their relevance to business.
How to lay out the answer. Follow the frame, then write it in your own words.
1 · Open in two lines. Personal laws apply to people because of their community or origin. Sri Lanka has three: Kandyan law, Thesawalamai and Muslim law.
2 · Kandyan law. Kandyan Sinhalese; kept after the Kandyan Convention (1815); marriage (diga and binna), divorce, inheritance, adoption.
3 · Thesawalamai. Tamil inhabitants of the Northern Province; codified by the Dutch (1707); thediathettam, inheritance, pre-emption; partly territorial.
4 · Muslim law. All Muslims; marriage and divorce (Quazi courts), intestate succession, gifts and wakfs.
5 · Draw a comparison table. [Table: law / applies to / origin / main areas]
6 · In Sri Lankan business. Succession to family businesses, land sales and bank lending in Jaffna, matrimonial property.
7 · Close in one line. In all other matters the general law applies, so personal laws sit alongside Roman-Dutch and English law.
Scoring tip: A four-column table (point, Kandyan, Thesawalamai, Muslim) is the fastest way to score. Add diga and binna for a bonus mark.
