Mutual Assistance in Civil and Commercial Matters Act, No. 39 of 2000  
Service of judicial and extra-judicial documents from abroad in Sri Lanka  

• Central Authority

• Requirements for a request from abroad

• Steps taken by Central Authority upon receipt of a request from abroad

• Steps to be taken by the District Judge to whom documents are forwarded for service

• Where the documents cannot be served

• Where the documents are served

Central Authority

The Secretary to the Ministry of Justice is designated as the Central Authority for the purpose of the Act. The contact details of the Central Authority are as follows –

Address       -    Ministry of Justice, Law Reform and National Integration
                       PO Box 555
                       Superior Courts Complex
                       Hulftsdorp
                       Colombo 12
                       Sri Lanka

Telephone     -   0094 1 323979
Fax              -   0094 1 445447
E-mail           -   secmoj@sri.lanka.net    <Top>

Requirements for a request from abroad (sections 5, 12)
The request should:  

(1)      originate from a "specified country" (defined as a country which is either a party to the Hague Convention, or which has entered into an agreement with Sri Lanka extending the provisions of the relevant Part of the Act to that country)  

(2)      be from an "appropriate authority" of that country           

(3)      be in one of the official languages of Sri Lanka or in English  

(4)      relate to a proceeding relating to a civil or commercial matter arising in that country  

(5)      be substantially in Form A of the Schedule to the Act  

(6)      be in duplicate  

(7)      be accompanied by the summons or other document required to be served, in duplicate
(where such summons or document is not in English, there should be an English translation certified by a diplomatic officer, consular agent, sworn translator or other person duly authorized in Sri Lanka or the requesting country)  <Top>

Steps taken by Central Authority upon receipt of a request from abroad

Steps to be taken by the District Judge to whom documents are forwarded for service (section 6(2))  

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Where the documents cannot be served (sections 6(4), 6(5))

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Where the documents are served (sections 6(3), 6(6), 6(7))