6. Power of the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal to punish contempt of a court, tribunal or institution

Official English translation. The Sinhala text prevails.

(1)

The Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal shall have the power to punish for contempt of itself, whether committed in its presence or hearing or elsewhere.

(2)

Where the Supreme Court or the Court of Appeal, as the case may be, in the exercise of its jurisdiction as referred to in subsection (1), takes cognizance-

(a)

of contempt of court committed in its presence or hearing, the Supreme Court or the Court of Appeal shall hear and determine such matter in accordance with the procedure set out in section 8; and

(b)

of contempt of court committed otherwise than in its presence or hearing, the Supreme Court or the

Court of Appeal shall hear and determine such matter in accordance with the procedure set out in section 9.

(3)

The Court of Appeal shall have the power to punish for contempt of a Court of First Instance or tribunal or institution, whether committed in its presence or hearing or elsewhere:

Provided however, the provisions of this section shall not prejudice or affect the rights of a Court of First Instance to punish for contempt of itself.

(4)

Where the Court of Appeal, in the exercise of its jurisdiction as referred to in subsection (3), takes cognizance of contempt of a Court of First Instance or tribunal or institution referred to in that subsection, the Court of Appeal shall hear and determine such matter in accordance with the procedure set out in section 10.

Read on from s 7