Print order of just 250 copies

By Nihal Seneviratne
Retired Secretary General of Parliament

September 24, 1980 was a very special and significant day for Parliament. It was on this day that the Navaratna Nidhan Vastu – specially chosen stones and gems were deposited in the site of the new Parliament at Sri Jayawardenapura-Kotte. The incumbent 225 Members of Parliament and 800 parliamentary staff were invited for the ground breaking which marked the beginning of the building of the new Parliamentary complex on the island of Duwa.

This was a project designed by renowned architect Geoffrey Bawa who had been handpicked by President J.R. Jayewardene to choose what in his (Bawa’s) opinion, was the best site for a new Parliamentary Complex as the President had decided to move out from the historic building in Galle Face designed by the British to accommodate only 110 Members.

Since the Parliamentary composition had escalated to 225 members since then, President Jayewardene had decided to move out of the Galle Face building in which two State Councils up to to 1945, set up under the Donoughmore Constitution, had sat.

In 1980, then Speaker M.A. Bakeer Markar summoned the leaders of parties and the House Committee to a meeting where it was decided to publish a special commemorative book on the move to the new Parliament to include all the important legislative enactments of then Ceylon.

These comprised the Ceylon Letters Patent 1947, the Royal Instructions of Dec. 1947, the Ceylon Independence Order-in-Council 1947, the Ceylon Constitution Amendment Act No. 29 of 1954, the Ceylon Constitution Special Provisions Act No. 35 of 1954, the Ceylon Constitution Amendment Act of No 4 of 1959, the Ceylon Constitution Amendment Act No. 71 of 1961, the Ceylon Constitution and Parliamentary Elections Amendment Act No. 8 of 1964, the Ceylon Constitution and Independence Act No. 36 of 1971, Constitution of Sri Lanka 1972, First Amendment and Second Amendment to the Constitution of February 1975 and October 1977, Constitution of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka of 1978, First Amendment to the Constitution of Nov. 1978, Second Amendment to the Constitution of February 1979 and finally, the Constitution of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka 1978 (popularly referred to as the J.R. Jayewardene Constitution).

All these documents were very carefully chosen and collected by us and found a place in this new rare book. It was decided by the authorities that this special book be printed as a red hard cover volume with the emblem of Sri Lanka printed in gold. It was also decided that only 250 copies be printed, 225 for the Members of Parliament incumbent at that time and balance 25 to be sent to the Libraries, Archives, and Commonwealth Legislatures. I happen to be the proud owner of one of these volumes and treasure it very carefully.

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