Report No. 35
Appendix XII
Ceylon Acts Regarding Capital Punishment
Suspension of Capital Punishment Act, (No. 20 of 1958)
(Date of Assent: May 9, 1958)
L.D.-O. 13/56.
An Act to Suspend the Imposition of Capital Punishment for Murder and the Abetment of Suicide and to Prescribe other Punishment for those Offences.
(Date of Assent: May 9, 1958)
Be it enacted by the Queen's Most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate and House of Representatives of Ceylon in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:-
1. Short title.- This Act may be cited as the Suspension of Capital Punishment Act, No. 20 of 1958.
2. Suspension of capital punishment for murder and abetment of suicide and imposition of rigorous imprisonment for life for those offences.- During the Continuance in force of this act-
(a) capital punishment shall not be imposed under section 296 of the Penal Code for the commission of murder and under section 299 of the Penal Code for the abetment of suicide, and
(b) section 296 and section 299 of the Penal Code shall have effect as if, for the word "death" occurring in each of those sections, there were substituted the words "rigorous imprisonment for life.".
3. Duration of Act.- This Act shall continue in force for three years and shall then expire:
Provided, however, that if the Senate and the House of Representatives by resolution so declare, this Act shall continue in force for such further period as may be specified in such resolution.
Suspension of Capital Punishment (Repeal) Act (No. 25 of 1959)
(Assented to on December 2, 1959.)
L.D.-O. 13/56.
An Act to Repeal the Suspension of Capital Punishment Act No. 20 of 1958, and to Provide for Certain Matters Connected Therewith
(Date of Assent: December 2, 1959)
Be it enacted by the Queen's Most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate and the House of Representatives of Ceylon in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
1. Short title.-This Act may be cited as the Suspension of Capital Punishment (Repeal) Act, No. 25 of 1959.
2. Act No. 20 of 1958.-The Suspension of Capital Punishment Act, No. 20 of 1958, is hereby repealed.
3. Imposition of capital punishment on persons convicted, on or after the date of commencement of this Act, of the offence of murder or abetment of suicide committed prior to that date.-Notwithstanding anything in any other written law, capital punishment shall be imposed-
(a) under section 296 of the Penal Code on every person who, on or after the date of the commencement of this Act, is convicted of the offence of murder committed prior to that date; and
(b) under section 299 of the Penal Code on every person who, on or after that, date is convicted of the offence of abetment of suicide committed prior to that date.
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