Tamils - a Trans State Nation..

"To us all towns are one, all men our kin.
Life's good comes not from others' gift, nor ill
Man's pains and pains' relief are from within.
Thus have we seen in visions of the wise !."
- Tamil Poem in Purananuru, circa 500 B.C

Royal Executive Powers and Seals Act, 1954
[see also Sri Lanka Constitution, 1972]

AN ACT TO MAKE PROVISION IN REGARD TO THE EXERCISE OF THE EXECUTIVE POWERS OF THE SOVEREIGN OF CEYLON, AND TO PROVIDE FOR THE MAKING AND USE OF A ROYAL SEAL OF CEYLON, A ROYAL SIGNET OF CEYLON, AND A PUBLIC SEAL OF CEYLON.

1. This Act may be cited as the Royal Executive Powers and Seals Act, and shall come into operation on such date * as the Governor-General may appoint by Proclamation published in the Gazette.

2. The will and pleasure of the Sovereign of Ceylon (hereinafter referred to as the " Sovereign") in the exercise of the executive powers vested in the Sovereign by any law shall be expressed by an instrument under the Sovereign's Sign Manual, and every such instrument shall be countersigned by the Prime Minister.

3. Whenever for any reason the Sovereign's signature to any instrument requiring the Sovereign's Sign Manual cannot be obtained or whenever the delay involved in obtaining the Sovereign's signature to any such instrument in the ordinary course would, in the opinion of the Prime Minister, frustrate the object thereof or unduly retard the despatch of public business, the Governor-General shall, subject to such instructions as may from time to time be given in that behalf by the Sovereign on the advice of the Prime Minister, execute and sign such instrument on behalf of the Sovereign ; and an instrument so executed and signed by the Governor-General and countersigned by the Prime Minister shall be of the same force and effect as an instrument signed by the Sovereign.

4. There shall be a Royal Seal of Ceylon (hereinafter referred to as the " Royal Seal ") which shall be of such design and size as may be approved by the Sovereign and which shall show on the obverse the effigy of the Sovereign in such manner and of such design as may be so approved with the style and titles of the Sovereign or the abbreviations thereof as circumscription, and on the reverse such device and inscription as may be so approved.

5. The Prime Minister shall be the Keeper of the Royal Seal.

6. The Keeper of the Royal Seal shall affix the Royal Seal

(a) to Proclamations bearing the Sovereign's Sign Manual and the countersignature of the Prime Minister, and

(b) to such other instruments bearing the Sovereign's Sign Manual and the countersignature of the Prime Minister as the Sovereign may from time to time by Proclamation specify as instruments to which the Royal Seal shall be affixed.

7. (1) The Governor-General may by regulation published in the Gazette provide for the making of wafer seals, representing the Royal Seal, of such material as he may deem suitable and prescribe the size of the cast to be used for the purpose.

(2) The wafer seals made in accordance with the regulations framed under subsection (1) shall be kept by the Keeper of the Royal Seal and may be used by him for sealing instruments to which the Royal Seal is required to be affixed ; and the sealing of such instruments with such wafer seals shall be sufficient compliance with the requirement that the Royal Seal shall be affixed to such instruments.

8. There shall be a Royal Signet of Ceylon (hereinafter referred to show the reverse of the Royal Seal and shall be of such design and size as may be approved by the Sovereign.

9. The Prime Minister shall be the Keeper of the Royal Signet.

10. The Keeper of the Royal Signet shall affix the Royal Signet to such instruments bearing the Sovereign's Sign Manual and the countersignature of the Prime Minister as the Sovereign may from time to time by Proclamation specify as instruments to which the Royal Signet shall be affixed.

11. (1) There shall be a Public Seal of Ceylon (hereinafter referred to as the " Public Seal ") which shall be of such design and size as may be determined by the Government.

(2) In any written law the expression " Public Seal of the Island " or the " Public Seal " shall mean the Public Seal of Ceylon.

12. The Governor-General shall be the Keeper of Keeper of the the Public Seal. Public Seal.

13. The Keeper of the Public Seal shall affix the Public Seal

(a) to instruments executed and signed under section 3 by the Governor-General,

(b) to instruments which are required by any written law to be sealed with the Public Seal, and

(c) to such other instruments as he may deem fit to be sealed with the Public Seal.

14. In the case of a change in the person of the Sovereign, the seals then existing shall be used until such time as hew seals have been made and put into use.

15. Where for any reason the Prime Minister is unable to perform any function or duty imposed on him by this Act, such other Minister as the Governor-General may nominate in that behalf may perform that function or duty.

* Not in operation on 30th June, 1956.