CA ruling: Lankan marrieds can get divorced abroad

The Court of Appeal ruled that when a couple married in Sri Lanka got divorced in a Court of a foreign country, the divorce will be valid under Sri Lankan law.

Accordingly, the ruling changed the existing law that a couple divorced in a foreign Court must return to a District Court in Sri Lanka and obtain Court’s consent for a divorce for it to be valid here.

The Court of Appeal gave the above judgement after taking up a petition filed by a person requesting an order to the Registrar General of Marriages to accept his divorce which had been obtained from a Court in England.

Court of Appeal Judges Sobitha Rajakaruna and Dhammika Ganepola announced the relevant case verdict.