Executive Council of Ceylon

The Executive Council of Ceylon was the executive council created in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) by the British colonial administration on the recommendations of the Colebrooke-Cameron Commission along with the Legislative Council of Ceylon in March 1833.

History

The 1833 Colebrooke-Cameron Commission recommended the creation of the Legislative Council and the Executive Council, the first step in representative government in British Ceylon. Accordingly, both were established on 19 March 1833 by letters patent.^[1] The Executive Council initially consisted of the British Governor (the president of the council) and five other senior British officials: the General Officer Commanding, the Colonial Secretary (Principal Secretary), the Kings's Advocate, the Treasurer and the Government Agent for the Central Province.^[2][3] The governor had to consult the Executive Council in the discharge of his duties but he could over rule the council's advice.^[1][4]

In 1840 the Auditor-General replaced the Government Agent for the Central Province on the council and in 1883 the Queen's Advocate post was renamed Attorney General.^[2][5] The Second Manning Reforms of 1924 added four unofficial members to the Executive Council.^[6]

The 1927-8 Donoughmore Commission recommended that Ceylon be given limited self-government and the replacement of the Legislative Council and Executive Council with the State Council and Board of Ministers respectively.^[7] Accordingly, the Executive Council was abolished in 1931.^[8][9]

List

Main article: List of Ceylonese executive councils

References

1. Jayewardene, Don Adrian St. V. (1907). "Constitution and Law". In Wright, Arnold (ed.). Twentieth Century Impressions of Ceylon: Its History, People, Commerce, Industries, and Resources. Lloyd's Great Britain Publishing Company. p. 85. ISBN 9788120613355.
2. Mills, Lennox A. (1933). Ceylon Under British Rule 1795-1932. Oxford University Press. p. 104. ISBN 9781136262715.
3. Karalliyadda, S. B. (4 February 2009). "Independence struggle for a hundred and thirty three years". Daily News (Sri Lanka).
4. "First taste of representative government". The Sunday Times (Sri Lanka). 18 March 2007.
5. Mills, Lennox A. (1933). Ceylon Under British Rule 1795-1932. Oxford University Press. p. 105. ISBN 9781136262715.
6. Mills, Lennox A. (1933). Ceylon Under British Rule 1795-1932. Oxford University Press. p. 267. ISBN 9781136262715.
7. Ubeywarna, D. L. (14 February 2004). "Lanka's journey to Independence, in retrospect: Impact of constitutional developments on nation - making". Daily News (Sri Lanka).
8. Mills, Lennox A. (1933). Ceylon Under British Rule 1795-1932. Oxford University Press. p. 270. ISBN 9781136262715.
9. Wickramasinghe, Nira (2010). "Sri Lanka's Independence:Shadows Over a Colonial Graft". In Brass, Paul R. (ed.). Routledge Handbook of South Asian Politics: India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Nepal. Routledge. p. 42. ISBN 9781134078585.