Comparison
Read two legal systems against each other
Because every portal follows the same fifteen-section outline, the comparison is genuinely like-for-like rather than a collage of whatever each government happens to publish.
Select up to six documented jurisdictions
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| Attribute | Sri LankaReviewed | LebanonReviewed |
|---|---|---|
| Legal family | Mixed civil, common and customary law | Civil law with confessional personal status |
| System of government | Semi-presidential republic | Unitary confessional parliamentary republic |
| Constitution | Constitution of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka | Constitution of Lebanon |
| In force since | 1978 | 1926 |
| Capital | Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte | Beirut |
| Official languages | Sinhala, Tamil, English | Arabic, French |
| Currency | Sri Lankan rupee (LKR) | Lebanese pound (LBP) |
| Population | 22,200,000 | 5,400,000 |
| Division of powers | Unitary with a devolved provincial layer created by the Thirteenth Amendment of 1987, which established nine provincial councils with legislative competence over a devolved list. Devolution has been contested and uneven; provincial councils have operated without elections since 2018, and the Northern and Eastern provinces' status was central to the conflict that ended in 2009. | Unitary, with eight governorates and districts administered centrally and elected municipal councils that have real but under-funded competences. Administrative decentralisation was promised by Taif and never enacted. |
| How law is made | Bills are published in the Gazette at least seven days before first reading, which is the trigger for the one-week window to petition the Supreme Court. A bill inconsistent with the Constitution needs a two-thirds majority, and in some cases a referendum. After enactment the Speaker's certificate is conclusive and the Act is immune from challenge. | Bills are introduced by the Council of Ministers or by members, examined in committee and voted by Parliament. The President promulgates, and may request reconsideration once, which Parliament overcomes by an absolute majority. Where Parliament delegates, the Council of Ministers may legislate by decree-law for a fixed period. Constitutional amendments require a two-thirds majority and government initiative or a Parliamentary proposal supported by two-thirds. |
| Legal profession | A single fused profession: attorneys-at-law are admitted and enrolled by the Supreme Court after the Sri Lanka Law College course and examinations, or a recognised law degree plus the final examination. The historic split between advocates and proctors was abolished in 1974. President's Counsel is a distinction conferred by the President. The Bar Association of Sri Lanka represents the profession, and attorneys have rights of audience in all courts from admission. | Lawyers are admitted by the Beirut Bar Association or the Tripoli Bar Association after a law degree and a three-year traineeship, with compulsory membership and a right of audience that widens with seniority. Both bars are self-governing and historically influential in public life. Notaries are licensed public officers whose authentication is required for real property transfers and company formation, and the two bars maintain legal aid committees that provide the main free representation. |
A comparison table flattens nuance by design. Where a difference matters to a decision you are making, open both portals and read the section in full — the constitutional detail behind a one-line summary is often the part that governs the outcome.