Sri Lanka's Executive Presidency: A Critical Analysis of Its Powers and Functions Under the Constitutions of 1978 and Subsequent Constitutional Amendments

The President of Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is the head of the state, chief executive and commander in chief of the armed forces. President J. R. Jayewardene who conceptualized and institutionalized the Executive presidency, from 1966, emphasized the need to transform the parliamentary model of government in Sri Lanka. He emphasized it was the best form of government for developing country like Sri Lanka. The Constitution has granted many powers and functions to the executive president. Therefore, Executive president has given overriding the executive, legislature and judiciary powers. Additionally Constitutional amendments have been used to increase the powers and functions of the executive president. Therefore, this study attempted to analyze the powers and functions of executive presidency under the Constitution of 1978 and the subsequent Constitutional Amendments.