200 Lawyers Urge President to Correct Constitutional Translation and End Dual Versions in Sri Lanka

A group of 200 lawyers has formally requested President to take immediate action to ensure the accurate translation of Article 83 of the Constitution into English, citing concerns over the existence and operation of two constitutional versions in Sri Lanka.

The request was delivered today (14) to the Presidential Secretariat by Attorney-at-Law Aruna Lakshiri Unawatuna, who stressed that delaying this matter would be inappropriate. Speaking to the media afterwards, Unawatuna highlighted that maintaining both the Sinhala Constitution and a separate English-language version in operation is not suitable for the country’s legal framework.

The lawyers have appealed to the President to address this issue urgently, stating that the current situation risks injustice to citizens and undermines legal clarity. They also emphasized that rectifying the translation is vital to upholding the integrity of the nation’s supreme law.