175. Registered agents

Official English translation. Where it differs from the Sinhala or Tamil text, the Act itself says which text prevails.

(1)

An Agent referred to in this Act means an agent registered under the provisions of the Act or in accordance with any regulation made thereunder.

(2)

Any person registered as an agent under this Act shall have the authority and be competent to act as an agent under this Act.

(3)

A person may be admitted and registered as an agent if he—

(a)

is a citizen of Sri Lanka and is ordinarily resident in Sri Lanka ; and

(b)

(i)

is an Attorney-At-Law of the Supreme

Court of Sri Lanka ; or

(ii)

is a person possessing the qualifications prescribed for an agent ; and

(c)

pays the prescribed fee.

(4)

A corporate body or a firm may act as an agent if the majority of the Directors of such corporate body or if the majority of the partners of the firm, as the case may be, are registered agents.

(5)

The registration of an agent under this Act shall be valid for a period of three years and shall be renewable, subject to the payment of a prescribed fee, for a consecutive period of three years provided, however, that a period of grace of six months shall be allowed for renewal upon payment of such surcharge as may be prescribed.

(6)

Notwithstanding anything in the provisions of subsection (2), any duly appointed agent, irrespective of not being registered under this Chapter, may represent his clients, for a period of two years from the date on which the provisions of this Chapter comes into operation.

(7)

The power of attorney referred to in this Act means a power of attorney duly executed or a letter of authorisation duly signed by the principal.

Read on from s 176