The Hon. M. A. M. Thahir

¶ 01 Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim.

¶ 02 Hon. Speaker, under Standing Order 27(2), I thank you for permitting me to question the Minister of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local Government.

¶ 03 Regarding issues faced by Muslim citizens and foreign nationals due to inconsistencies in Sri Lanka’s marriage registration laws and administrative circulars, I ask:

¶ 04 1. Will the Minister confirm that marriage registration in Sri Lanka can be carried out under only three legal frameworks: the Marriage Registration Ordinance (General Marriage), the Kandyan Marriage and Divorce Act, and the Muslim Marriage and Divorce Act?

¶ 05 2. Under a circular issued pursuant to the General Marriage Ordinance, where both parties are Muslims, their marriage must be registered under the Muslim Marriage and Divorce Act—does the Minister acknowledge this?

¶ 06 3. Conversely, under a circular issued pursuant to the Muslim Marriage and Divorce Act, if one party is not a Sri Lankan citizen, the marriage cannot be registered under that Act, and instead must be linked to the General Marriage Ordinance—does the Minister acknowledge this?

¶ 07 4. Where a foreign Muslim is involved, this inconsistency creates a legal and administrative vacuum such that the marriage cannot be properly registered under any of the three laws—does the Minister admit this?

¶ 08 5. As a result, Muslim citizens seeking to register their marriage under the General Marriage Ordinance are reportedly pressured by some officers of the Registrar General’s Department to declare they are non-Muslims—does the Minister know of this?

¶ 09 6. What steps will the Government take to resolve this legal inconsistency, ensure that Sri Lankan Muslims and foreign Muslims can register marriages lawfully without discrimination, and prevent officers from compelling Muslim persons to renounce their faith to obtain legal rights?