JUDICATURE

(a) the High Court of the Republic of Sri Lanka;

(b) the District Courts ;

(c) the Family Courts ;

(d) the Magistrates’ Courts;

(e) the Primary Courts.

(1) There shall be in each judicial district of Sri Lanka a “District Court” and a “Family Court” and in every judicial division there shall be a “Magistrate’s Court” and a “Primary Court” and each such court shall be holden by and before one person to be called the “District Judge”, “Judge of the Family Court”, “Magistrate” and “Judge of the Primary Court”, respectively.

(2) Where a Judge of a Family Court of any judicial district is not appointed, the District Judge of the judicial district shall function as the Judge of the Family Court of that judicial district and shall be deemed for all purposes to be the Judge of the Family Court of that judicial district and shall exercise all the powers and Jurisdiction vested in the Family Court.

(3) Each court referred to in subsection (1) may be held at such convenient place or places within such judicial district or division, as the case may be, as the Minister shall by regulation from time to time appoint:

Provided that nothing in this section shall be construed to restrict or curtail the power possessed by every Judge to hold court at any convenient place within his territorial jurisdiction.

(1) All District Judges, Judges of the Family Courts, Magistrates and Judges of the Primary Courts and all such Additional Judges and Magistrates of such courts shall be appointed to their offices by the Judicial Service Commission.

(2) Every person appointed to be or to act as a Judge or Magistrate, as the case may be, of a Court of First Instance shall before he enters upon his office take and subscribe or make and subscribe the oath or affirmation of office prescribed in the First Schedule hereto.

(3) The age of retirement of a Judge of the High Court shall be sixty-one years.

(4) The age of retirement of all other Judges and Magistrates shall be as provided by rules made under the Public and Judicial Officers (Retirement) Ordinance.

(1) The Judicial Service Commission additional may appoint as many District Judges, Judges of the Family Court, Magistrates or Judges of the Primary Court to the same District Court, Family Court, Magistrate’s Court, and Primary Court respectively as the occasion may require.

(2) Every Additional District Judge, Judge of the Family Court, Magistrate, or Judge of the Primary Court, appointed to any such court, shall sit separately and exercise all the powers or jurisdiction vested in the District Court, Family Court, Magistrate’s Court and Primary Court, respectively, of that district or division, as the case may be, for which such Additional District Judge, Judge of the Family Court, Magistrate or Judge of the Primary Court, is so appointed.

(1) The High Court shall ordinarily have the power and authority and is hereby required to hear, try and determine in the manner provided for by written law all prosecutions on indictment instituted therein against any person in respect of-

(2) The jurisdiction of the High Court shall subject to the provisions of any other law-

Provided that the President of the Court of Appeal may, if he deems fit, direct by writing under his hand that the High Court holden in any zone nominated by him shall hear and determine any offence referred to in paragraph (a) would ordinarily have been heard and determined by the High Court holden in any other judicial zone.

(1) Trial in the High Court shall be by jury before a Judge of the High Court where-

(2) All other trials shall be before a Judge of the High Court sitting alone without a jury-

(1) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Act or any other written law, trials at Bar shall be held by the High Court in accordance with the law for the time being in force for offences punishable under the Penal Code and other laws.

(2) The Chief Justice shall nominate a Bench of three Judges of the High Court naming one of them as the Chairman and also specifying the zone where such trial shall beheld:

Provided that the Chief Justice shall not by reason of the fact that he has made an order under this subsection be disqualified or precluded from hearing any appeal to the Supreme Court in any matter which is the subject of a direction made by him under this subsection.

(1) Admiralty jurisdiction is hereby vested in the High Court and shall ordinarily be exercised by a Judge of the High Court sitting in the judicial zone of Colombo ;

Provided that the Minister may by Order published in the Gazette empower a Judge of the High Court sitting in any other judicial zone also to exercise Admiralty jurisdiction and define the territorial limits and the territorial waters.* if any, adjacent thereto for the purpose of the exercise of such jurisdiction.

(2) The Admiralty jurisdiction vested in the High Court shall be as provided for by law for the time being in force.

(3)

(a) in a case tried with a jury-

(b) in a case tried without a jury, as of right, from any conviction or sentence except in the case where-

Provided that in every such case there shall be an appeal on a question of law or where the accused has pleaded guilty on the question of sentence only.

(a) from an order of acquittal by a High Court-

(b) in all cases on the ground of inadequacy or illegality of the sentence imposed or illegality of any other order of the High Court.

(1) A person aggrieved by a judgment, order or sentence of the High Court in criminal cases may appeal to the Court of Appeal with the leave of such court first had and obtained in all cases in which the Attorney-General has a right of appeal under this Chapter.

(2) In this section “a person aggrieved” shall mean any person whose person or property has been the subject of the alleged offence in respect of which the Attorney-General might have appealed under this Chapter and shall, if such person be dead, include his next of kin namely his surviving spouse, children, parents or further descendants or brothers or sisters.

(3) Nothing in this section shall in any way affect the power of the Court of Appeal to act by way of revision in an appropriate case.

(1) Every District Court shall have the care and custody of the persons and estates of all idiots and persons of unsound mind and others who by reason of their mental or physical infirmities, or both such infirmities, are incapable of looking after or managing their persons or their affairs as the case may be and are resident within its district with full power to make them wards of the court and to appoint guardians and curators of all such persons and their estates, and to make order for the maintenance of such persons and the proper management of their estates, and to take proper securities for such management from such guardians and curators, and to call them to account, and to charge them with any balance which may be due to any such persons as aforesaid, or to their estates, and to enforce the payment thereof and to take order for the secure investment of any such balance; and such guardians and curators from time to time remove and replace as occasion may require.

(2) When any person is made a ward of court under subsection (1) he shall not be removed from Sri Lanka without the leave of court which may be granted subject to such terms and conditions as the court may by order impose including orders for security. Any person knowingly removing or assisting in such removal without leave of court shall be liable to be punished as for a contempt of court.

(3) The jurisdiction and powers of District Courts under this section as regards the charge of the property of persons of unsound mind and mentally deficient persons shall extend to the charge of the property in Sri Lanka of persons of unsound mind and mentally deficient persons who are not resident in Sri Lanka and may be exercised by any District Court within whose territorial limits any such property is situate.

(4) A “mentally deficient person” means a person mentally ill or feeble and incapable of managing his own affairs though not adjudicated a person of unsound mind in accordance with the law for the time being in force.

(1) to appoint according to the law in force for the time being administrators of the estates and effects of any persons dying either intestate, or who may not by any last will or testament have appointed any executor or trustee for the administration of such estates or effects, whether such estates or effects may be within such district or any other district or districts within Sri Lanka;

(2) to inquire into and determine upon the validity of any document or documents adduced before it as and for the last will and testament of any person who may have died leaving property in Sri Lanka, and to record the same, and to grant probate thereof;

(3) to appoint administrators for the administration or execution of the trusts of any such last will or testament as aforesaid in cases where the executors or trustees thereby appointed shall not appear and take out probate thereof, or having appeared and taken out such probate, shall have resigned their office or shall by death or otherwise become incapable to carry any such trust fully into execution ; and

(4) to take proper securities from all executors (whenever it shall seem to the court expedient to require the same) and all administrators of the last wills and testaments of any deceased persons or of the estates and effects of any persons who may have died interstate, and from the attorneys of any executors who may apply for administration of the last wills and testaments of any deceased persons for the faithful performance of such trusts, and for the proper accounting in such court for what may come into their hands or be by them expended in the execution thereof and to call them to account; and when it shall seem to such court expedient, to cause all accounts rendered by them to be duly and carefully audited and examined and to charge them with any balance which may from time to time remain in their hands, applicable for the performance of such trusts and to enforce the payment thereof, and to take order for the secure investment of any such balances and the apportionment and payment thereof among and to such persons as shall be found entitled to the same, and such administrators from time to time to remove and replace as occasion may require.

(1) Every Family Court shall be a Court of record and shall have sole original jurisdiction in respect of matrimonial disputes, actions for divorce, nullity and separation, damages for adultery, claims for maintenance and alimony, disputes between spouses, parents and children as to matrimonial property, custody of minor children, dependents’ claims, guardianship and curatorship matters, claims in respect of declaration of legitimacy and illegitimacy and marriage, adoption and applications for amendment of birth registration entries, claims for seduction and breach of promise of marriage and such other matters provided for by any other law :

Provided that anything in the preceding provisions of this subsection shall not affect the provisions of the Kandyan Marriage and Divorce Act and the provisions of the Muslim Marriage and Divorce Act.(Under a subsequent amendmend effected to the Judicature Act by Act No.71 of 1981 ,every district Court shall be deemed to be a Family Court when jurisdiction vested in a Family Court under the Judicature Act or any other written law.)

(2) The Family Court shall also have sole and exclusive jurisdiction in respect of all matters specified in subsection (1) and where reference is made to any court in respect of such matters in any of the statutes referred to in the Third Schedule+ hereto, it shall be deemed to be a reference to a Family Court:Necessary alterations in the statues refferrd to in the Schedule have been made in this Edition.)

Provided that this subsection shall have no application to any offences alleged to have been committed in violation of the provisions of any such statute.

(3) An application for the custody of a minor child or of the spouse of any marriage alleged to be kept in wrongful or illegal custody by any parent or by the other spouse or guardian or relative of such’ minor child or spouse shall be heard or determined by the Family Court; and such court shall have full power and jurisdiction to hear and determine the same and make such orders both interim and final as the justice of the case shall require.

(1) There shall be attached to each Family Court an officer who shall be called the ” Family Counselor ” whose duty it shall be, before any dispute in respect of which a Family Court has jurisdiction comes up for inquiry or trial before the Judge of the Family Court, to make every effort to induce the parties to settle such dispute.

(2) Where any dispute is settled, the terms of settlement shall be entered, signed by each party to the dispute and the Family Counselor, and be forwarded to the Judge of the Family Court who shall enter such terms of settlement as a decree of such Court.

(3) Where a Family Counselor is not able to settle any dispute referred to in subsection (1), he shall refer such dispute to the Judge of the Family Court for determination after inquiry or trial.

(4) No Judge of a Family Court shall hold any inquiry or trial in respect of any dispute until such dispute is referred to him by the Family Counselor under subsection (3).

(5) Until a Family Counselor is attached to a Family Court under subsection (1), the preceding provisions of this section shall have no application to any proceedings instituted in such court:

Provided that where no Family Counselor has been attached to such Family Court at the time the inquiry or trial has commenced, then, notwithstanding the attachment of the Family Counselor, the inquiry or trial may continue and be proceeded with to final judgment without reference to the Family Counselor.

(1) In the event of two or more separate proceedings or actions being instituted in respect of the same or substantially the same family dispute in more than one Family Court, any party to such proceedings or actions may apply, or any Judge of such Family Court in which the said proceedings or actions had been instituted may refer the matter, to the Court of Appeal which shall in the exercise of its powers, as it may deem fit, transfer one or more of such proceedings or actions to one of the Family Courts, in which proceedings or actions have already been instituted by the said parties so that all such disputes may be conveniently or expeditiously heard and determined in one Family Court.

(2) In the event of there being two or more proceedings or actions instituted or pending in the same Family Court as between the same parties or relating to substantially the same matter it shall be competent to the said court to direct that such proceedings or actions be consolidated into a single proceeding if in the opinion of the said court it is convenient to do so or it be so necessary in the interests of Justice and the expeditious disposal of such matters in dispute. The court may in such an event make such order or deliver such judgment or enter such decree from time to time as the exigencies and justice of the case may require.

(1) All proceedings in a Family Court shall be instituted and conducted as expeditiously as possible in accordance with such regulations as may be prescribed :

Provided that until such regulations have been so prescribed, the court shall, as far as practicable, follow the provisions relating to summary procedure in the Civil Procedure Code.

(2) The provisions of the Adoption of Children Ordinance and the Maintenance Ordinance governing the institution and conducting of proceedings under the said Ordinances shall be deemed to apply to such proceedings that may be instituted in the Family Courts.

(3) All applications for the care and custody of minor children shall take precedence over all other matters in every Family Court and shall, unless exceptional circumstances so warrant, be heard from day to day to ensure the expeditious disposal of the same.

(1) Every Primary Court shall subject to the provisions of any other law have original civil jurisdiction where the debt, damage, demand or claim does not exceed one thousand five hundred rupees and shall also have Jurisdiction in respect of the enforcement of by-laws of local authorities and matters relating to the recovery of revenue of such local authorities.

(2) The Primary Courts shall have no jurisdiction in respect of the disputes referred to in the Fourth Schedule hereto, irrespective of the value of such claim.

(1) Every Primary Court shall have exclusive original criminal jurisdiction in respect of such offences as may, by regulation, be prescribed by the Minister and the Minister may in that regulation specify in the case of each offence the limitations, restrictions and conditions in respect of each such offence.

(2) The Primary Court shall have sole and exclusive jurisdiction in respect of all offences alleged to have been committed in violation of the provisions of any enactment or any subsidiary legislation made thereunder, in respect of which jurisdiction is vested in such court.

(3) Anything in this section shall not preclude a Magistrate from convicting and passing sentence on any person found guilty after trial of any offence specified in subsection (1).

(1) Where any civil proceeding or matter is instituted in a Primary Court, it shall be the duty of the Judge of that court to summon the parties to appear before him and wherever appropriate to make every effort to induce such parties to arrive at a settlement before proceeding to inquiry or trial. Where such parties agree to a settlement such settlement shall be recorded and signed by the parties thereto and shall be entered as a decree of the said court and be enforceable, as a decree thereof.

(2) Where any criminal proceeding or matter is instituted in a Primary Court, it shall be the duty of the Judge of that court to summon the parties concerned to appear before him and wherever appropriate to induce such parties to arrive at a settlement. Where such parties agree to a settlement such settlement shall be recorded and signed by the parties concerned and notwithstanding anything to the contrary in any other law the offence to which the proceeding or matter relates shall be compounded.

(1) Any party aggrieved by any judgment, order, decree, conviction or sentence, entered or imposed after inquiry or trial by a Primary Court may subject to any law and in accordance with any law, regulation or rule governing the procedure and manner for so appealing, appeal therefrom to the Court of Appeal for any error in law or in fact:

Provided that where there is no such law*, regulation or rule governing the procedure and manner for so appealing, the provisions relating to appeals from a Magistrate’s Court shall apply to an appeal in a criminal matter or proceeding and the provisions relating to appeals from a District Court shall apply to an appeal in a civil matter or proceeding.

(2) No appeal shall lie from any judgment, order, decree, conviction or sentence entered or imposed by reason of a settlement of the dispute between the parties arrived at under the provisions of this Chapter.

(1) The Supreme Court may in accordance with rules for the time being in force admit and enrol as attorneys-at-law persons of good repute and of competent knowledge and ability.

(2) When any order has been duly made for the admission of any person as an attorney-at-law of the Supreme Court the Registrar of the Supreme Court shall and he is hereby required at the time of such admission to issue and deliver to such person so admitted a writing under the hand of such Registrar and the seal of the said court certifying the admission of such person as an attorney-at-law as aforesaid and the stamp duty specified in item 1 of Part V of Schedule A to the Stamp Ordinance shall be payable on such admission.

(3) The provisions of subsection (2) relating to stamp duty shall be deemed to have come into force on January 1, 1974.

(1) Every attorney-at-law shall be entitled to assist and advise clients and to appear, plead or act in every court or other institution established by law for the administration of justice and every person who is a party to or has or claims to have the right to be heard in any proceeding in any such court or other such institution shall be entitled to be represented by an attorney-at-law.

(2) Every person who is a party to any proceeding before any person or tribunal exercising quasi-judicial powers and every person who has or claims to have the right to be heard before any such person or tribunal shall unless otherwise expressly provided by law be entitled to be represented by an attorney-at-law.

(1) The Supreme Court shall have the power to refuse to admit and enroll any person applying to be so admitted and enrolled as an attorney-at-law and shall if required to do so by the applicant, assign and declare in open court the reasons for such refusal.

(2) Every person admitted and enrolled as an attorney-at-law who shall be guilty of any deceit, malpractice, crime or offence may be suspended from practice or removed from office by any three Judges of the Supreme Court sitting together.

(3) Before any such attorney-at-law shall be suspended or removed as hereinbefore provided a notice containing a copy of the charge or charges against him and calling upon him to show cause within a reasonable time why he should not be suspended or removed, as the case may be, shall be personally served on him. If, however, personal service cannot be effected, the Supreme Court shall order such substituted service as it may deem fit:

Provided however that every such attorney-at-law may be suspended by any Judge of the Supreme Court on such cause as aforesaid pending the final decision of the Supreme Court.

(4) It shall be the duty of the presiding officer of any court or other tribunal administering justice before which any attorney-at-law is found guilty of any crime or offence which may be prescribed to forthwith report such fact to the Supreme Court which may if it thinks fit suspend such attorney-at-law from practice pending the final determination of any appeal from such finding of guilty or a proceeding under subsection (3) whichever is later.

(1) Where the Chief Justice or any Judge of the Supreme Court considers it expedient or necessary for the purpose of enabling the Court to determine whether or not proceedings should be taken for the suspension from practice or the removal from office of any attorney-at-taw, the Chief Justice or any other Judge of the Supreme Court may by order direct that a preliminary inquiry into any alleged misconduct of such attorney-at-law shall be held by a disciplinary committee of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka constituted in accordance with the succeeding provisions of this Act.

(2) Nothing in subsection (1) shall be construed as to require the Supreme Court or any Judge thereof to direct that a preliminary inquiry be held as therein provided, before proceedings are taken under section 42 (3) in relation to any attorney-at-law.

(3) No member of such disciplinary committee, nor the secretary thereof shall, in respect of any act or thing done or omitted to be done by him in his capacity as such member or secretary, be liable to any action, prosecution or other proceeding in any civil or criminal court.

(1) The Chief Justice shall appoint a panel of not less than fifteen members of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka for the purposes of constituting disciplinary committees for holding inquiries required by the preceding section.

(2) Every person appointed to the panel shall be a member thereof for a period of three years from the date of his appointment, unless he is earlier removed therefrom by the Chief Justice acting in his discretion, or earlier vacates the office by resignation or by ceasing to be a member of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka. Every member of the panel who vacates office as such by effluxion of time shall be eligible for renomination and reappointment.

(3) Any casual vacancy in the panel may be filled by the Chief Justice.

(4) Where any inquiry is required under section 43 to be held by a disciplinary committee, the Chief Justice shall appoint three persons from amongst the members of the panel to constitute the disciplinary committee for the purpose of the inquiry, and shall appoint one of them to be the chairman of the committee.

(1) The President of the Republic of Sri Lanka, the Speaker of the Parliament, the Ministers of State and the officers (whether holding office permanently or temporarily) enumerated in the Fifth Schedule hereto shall be ex officio Justices of the Peace for the Republic of Sri Lanka or for such portion thereof respectively as is indicated in the said Schedule.

(2) The Minister may, from time to time by notice published in the Gazette, appoint such persons as shall be named in such notice to be Justices of the Peace for the Republic of Sri Lanka, or for such zones, districts or divisions as to the Minister shall seem expedient.

(3) The Minister may, from time to time by notice published in the Gazette, appoint any Justice of the Peace who is an attorney-at-law to be an Unofficial Magistrate for any judicial division or divisions, and any Justice of the Peace so appointed shall have all the powers and authority vested by this Act in Magistrates’ Courts save and except the power and authority to hear, try and determine any criminal case.

(4) Every Justice of the Peace and every Unofficial Magistrate appointed under subsections (2) and (3) shall take and subscribe or make and subscribe an oath or affirmation of office in such form as may be determined by the Minister before a Judge of the High Court, District Judge, judge of the Family Court or Magistrate, and every such Judge is empowered and required, upon application on that behalf, to administer the same and to enter in the records of his court that the said oath or affirmation was duly administered and taken by him, and forthwith to transmit a copy of such entry to the Registrar of the Supreme Court to be entered in the records of that court.

(5) All persons who on the day preceding the date on which the provisions of this section are brought into operation were Justices of the Peace or Unofficial Magistrates respectively shall continue to hold such office and be deemed to have been appointed for all purposes under this Act.

(1) Whenever it appears to the Court of Appeal-

the court may order upon such terms as to the payment of costs or otherwise as the said court thinks fit, for the transfer of any action, prosecution, proceeding or matter pending before any court to any other court and accordingly in every such case, the court to which any such action, prosecution, proceeding or matter is so transferred shall, notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this or any other law, take cognizance of and have the power and jurisdiction to hear, try and determine such action, prosecution, proceeding or matter, as fully and effectually to all intents and purposes as if such court had an original power and jurisdiction.

(2) Every application for transfer of any action, prosecution, proceeding or matter under this section shall be supported by an affidavit setting out the grounds on which it is based.

(3) The Court of Appeal, in making an order for transfer under this section may. if it thinks fit, direct that the court to which such action, prosecution, proceeding or matter is transferred shall call all or any of the witnesses who have been examined before the court from which the transfer is made, and take their evidence afresh.

(1) Whenever it appears to the Attorney-General that it is expedient that any inquiry into or trial of any criminal offence shall be transferred from any court or place, to any other court or place, it shall be lawful for the Attorney-General in his discretion by his fiat in writing to designate such last-mentioned court or place, and such inquiry or trial shall be held accordingly on the authority of such fiat which shall be filed of record with the proceedings in such inquiry or trial so transferred as aforesaid.

(2) Any person aggrieved by a transfer made under such fiat of the Attorney-General may apply to the Court of Appeal, by motion supported by affidavit, setting out the grounds for such application for retransfer or for transfer to any other court or place of such inquiry or trial, and the Court of Appeal may after notice to the Attorney-General, who shall, if he thinks fit, be heard to show cause against such motion, if it considers that good cause has been shown why the application shall be granted, make order accordingly.

(3) Every person making an application for a transfer under this Chapter shall give to the Attorney-General and also to the accused or complainant as the case may be, notice in writing of such application together with a copy of the grounds on which it is made. No order shall be made on the merits of the application unless and until at least forty-eight hours have elapsed between the receipt of such notice and the hearing of such application. Every accused person making an application for a transfer under the preceding section may be required by the Court of Appeal, in its discretion, to execute a bond with or without surety conditioned that he will, if convicted, pay the cost of the prosecution.

(1) Except with the consent of both parties thereto, no Judge shall be competent, and in no case shall any Judge be compellable, to exercise jurisdiction in any action, prosecution, proceeding or matter in which he is a party or personally interested.

(2) No Judge shall hear an appeal from or review any judgment, sentence or order passed by himself.

(3) Where any Judge who is a party or personally interested, is a Judge of the Supreme Court or the Court of Appeal, the action, prosecution, proceeding or matter to or in which he is a party or is interested, or in which an appeal from his judgment shall be preferred, shall be heard or determined by some other Judge or Judges of the said court :

Provided that in every other case some other Judge of the High Court, the District Court, Family Court, Magistrate’s Court and Primary Court, as the case may be, of any adjoining zone, district or division shall have jurisdiction to hear, try and determine such action, prosecution, proceeding or matter.

(1) There shall be appointed to the High Court and to each of the District Courts, Family Courts, Magistrates’ Courts and Primary Courts established under this Act, a Registrar, a Fiscal and such other officers as may be necessary for the administration and for the due execution of the powers and the performance of the duties of such courts including the service of process and the execution of decrees of court and other orders enforceable under any written law.

(2) Subject to the provisions of the Constitution the Registrar of the High Court shall act under the supervision, direction and control of the President of the Court of Appeal.

(1) Where in any action instituted in a High Court, District Court, or a Family Court, it appears-

(2) For the purposes of this section, any defendant who shall have by his answer set up any claim in reconvention and shall thereupon demand an affirmative judgment against the plaintiff shall be deemed a plaintiff, and shall have the same right to an injunction as he would have in an action brought by him against the plaintiff for the cause of action stated in the claim in reconvention, and the plaintiff shall be deemed the defendant and the claim in reconvention the plaint.

(3) Such injunction may be granted to accompany the summons, or at any time after the commencement of the action and before final judgment, and with or without notice in the discretion of the court. Where the defendant has appeared, it shall be granted only upon notice or on an order to show cause. Where an application for an injunction is made upon notice or on an order to show cause, either before or after the appearance of the defendant, the court may grant an injunction restraining the defendant or any other person until the hearing and decision of the application.

(1) Every District Court, Family Court, Magistrate’s Court and Primary Court shall, for the purpose of maintaining its proper authority and efficiency, have a special jurisdiction to take cognizance of, and to punish with the penalties in that behalf as hereinafter provided, every offence of contempt of court committed in the presence of the court itself and all offences which are committed in the course of any act or proceeding in the said courts respectively, and which are declared by any law for the time being in force to be punishable as contempts of court.

(2) The following sentences of fines or imprisonment as the case may be, may be imposed on conviction for contempt by the following courts respectively, namely-

(1) All civil actions, proceedings or matters pending in the District Courts and Magistrates’ Courts in respect of matters which by this Act are within the jurisdiction of a District Court, Family Court or Primary Court on the day preceding the date on which the provisions of this section are brought into operation*, shall stand removed to the appropriate District Court, Family Court or Primary Court, as the case may be, and such court shall have jurisdiction to take cognizance of, hear and determine or to continue and complete the same, and the judgments and orders of the aforesaid District Courts and Magistrates’ Courts delivered or made before the date on which the provisions of this section are brought into operation shall have the same force and effect as if they had been delivered or made by the appropriate District Court, Family Court or Primary Court, as the case may be :

Provided that any such civil action, proceeding or matter in which the adducing of evidence has commenced as at the day preceding the date on which the provisions of this section are brought into operation* in the District Court or Magistrate’s Court, as the case may be, shall be heard and determined by the said District Court or Magistrate’s Court.

(2) All criminal actions, proceedings or matters pending in any District Court on the day preceding the date on which the provisions of this section are brought into operation* shall stand removed to the High Court, and such court shall have jurisdiction to take cognizance of, hear and determine or to continue and complete the same, and the judgments and orders of the aforesaid District Court delivered or made before the date on which the provisions of this section are brought into operation* shall have the same force and effect as if they had been delivered or made by the High Court:

Provided that any such criminal action, proceeding or matter in which the adducing of evidence has commenced as at the day preceding the date on which the provisions of this section are brought into operation* in the District Court shall be heard and determined by the said District Court.

(3) All criminal actions, proceedings or matters pending in any Magistrates Court which by the provisions of this Act are within the jurisdiction of a Primary Court, on the day preceding the date on which the provisions of this section are brought into operation* shall stand removed to the appropriate Primary Court and such Primary Court shall have jurisdiction to take cognizance of, hear and determine or to continue and complete the same, and the judgments and orders of the Magistrate’s Court aforesaid delivered or made before the date on which the provisions of this section are brought into operation* shall have the same force and effect as if they had been delivered or made by the appropriate Primary Court:

Provided that any criminal action, proceeding or matter in which the adducing of evidence has commenced as at the day preceding the date on which the provisions of this section are brought into operation* in the Magistrate’s Court shall be heard and determined by the said Magistrate’s Court.

(1) The Minister may make regulations for carrying out or giving effect to the principles and provisions of this Act and for matters required by this Act to be prescribed or in respect of which regulations are authorized by this Act to be made.

(2) Every regulation made by the Minister under subsection (1) shall be published in the Gazette and shall come into force on the date of such publication or on such later date as may be specified in the regulation.

(3) Every regulation shall as soon as convenient after the publication in the Gazette be brought before Parliament for approval and any regulation which is not so approved shall be deemed to be rescinded as from the date of such disapproval but without prejudice to anything previously done thereunder.

(4) The date on which any regulation is deemed to be so rescinded shall be published in the Gazette.