Registration of Deaths (Temporary Provisions) (Amendment) Act, No. 16 of 2016 - Sri Lanka

On 9 September 2016, the Registration of Deaths (Temporary Provisions) (Amendment) Act, No. 16 of 2016 was issued, amending Act, No. 19 of 2010, (hereinafter referred to as the “principal enactment”).

Article 1 amends the principle enactment to provide for the registration of persons reported missing as a result of the conflict which took place in the northern and eastern provinces or its aftermath or political unrest or civil disturbances or enforced disappearances or of members of the armed forces or police identified as missing in action.

Part IA is inserted into the principal enactment and article 8A – 8G therein establish the process that is to be followed in order to obtain a Certificate of Absence by a relative of a missing person through an application to the District Registrar/ Registrar General.

In particular, article 8J provides a list of rights and benefits that relatives of the missing persons are entitled to access once he or she has obtained the Certificate of Absence. The Act also provides for a procedure through which an existing Certificate of Death issued in the name of a person who is considered to be missing, can be converted into a Certificate of Absence under Section 8L.