State Printing Corporation Act, No. 24 of 1968
This Act established the State Printing Corporation as a body corporate to serve as the chief printing and publication arm of the Sri Lankan government. Originally focused on government printing and school textbooks, the Corporation's mandate was progressively expanded through three amendments (1978, 1981, 1998) to include commercial printing, import/export of books, and stationery manufacture. The Act comprises 32 sections across 4 parts.
Principal Act: LawNet (Act No. 24 of 1968). Section outline: srilankalaw.lk. Amendment 1978: CommonLII (No. 24 of 1978). Amendment 1981: LawNet (No. 51 of 1981). Amendment 1998: LawNet (No. 7 of 1998).
Act Structure
The Act's 32 sections are organised into four parts:
| Part | Sections | Key Provisions |
|---|---|---|
| I — Constitution | 1-17 | Establishment, general objects (3x amended), powers, Minister's directives, Board of Directors, Chairman, quorum, seal |
| II — Finance | 18-25 | Initial capital, borrowing, investment, revenue application priority, reserves, audit, Parliamentary reporting |
| III — Employees | 26-28 | Staff appointment, public servant classification, Bribery Act scheduling |
| IV — General | 29-32 | Ministerial regulations, court proceedings, immunity from writs, interpretation |
Statutory Bodies
The Act establishes a body corporate (the Corporation) governed by a Board of Directors with broad commercial and publishing powers.
Key Provisions
General Objects — Section 4 (Amended 3 Times)
Section 4 is the most heavily amended part of the Act. Its evolution reflects the Corporation's transformation from a government printer to a commercial enterprise:
| Year | Scope |
|---|---|
| 1968 | Government printing, school textbooks, educational aids |
| 1978 | Structural adjustments for growing education requirements |
| 1981 | + Commercial printing for private institutions and individuals |
| 1998 | + Import/export of books, co-publication, stationery manufacture and sale |
The 1981 Amendment added a critical stipulation: private commercial requests must never disrupt or delay the priority printing of school textbooks and educational aids for the State.
Board of Directors (Sections 7-17)
| Provision | Section | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Appointment | 7, 16 | Chairman and Directors appointed |
| Remuneration | 8 | Protocols for Director remuneration |
| Conflict of interest | 9 | Directors must disclose personal interest in Corporation contracts |
| Quorum | 10 | Minimum three members |
| Casting vote | 11 | Chairman has casting vote |
| Meeting procedures | 12 | Meeting protocols defined |
| Validity | 13 | Actions valid despite vacancies |
| Administration | 14 | Board administers all affairs |
| Delegation | 15 | Board may delegate duties |
| Seal | 17 | Custody and use of official seal |
Ministerial Powers (Section 6)
The Minister of Mass Communication has authority to issue overriding written directives to the Board — a stronger power than the advisory/regulatory powers found in many other statutory body acts.
Finance (Sections 18-25)
| Provision | Section | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Initial capital | 18 | Working capital from the State |
| Borrowing | 19 | Board authorised to take loans |
| Investment | 20 | Rules for investing idle funds |
| Revenue priority | 21 | Operating expenses, then loan repayments, then reserves |
| Reserves | 22 | Mandatory financial reserves |
| Audit | 23-24 | Auditor-General or Minister-appointed auditor |
| Parliament | 25 | Annual report, auditor's statement, and statistics laid before Parliament |
Legal Protections (Sections 27-28, 31)
- Public servants (Section 27): All officers and servants classified as public servants under the Penal Code
- Bribery Act (Section 28): Corporation is a Scheduled Institution
- Immunity (Section 31): No writ against person or property can be issued against individual members for actions brought against the Corporation
Amendment History
The Act has been a living document, amended three times over 30 years to expand the Corporation's commercial mandate.
Amendment Law No. 24 of 1978
Type: Structural / Administrative | Impact: Low
Early structural adjustments to the Corporation's mandate, adjusting its interaction with the rapidly growing state education requirements.
Amendment Act No. 51 of 1981
Type: Commercial Expansion | Impact: Medium
Expanded Section 4 (General Objects) to allow the Corporation to engage in commercial printing and publishing for private institutions and individuals. Added the critical stipulation that government and educational printing takes priority.
Amendment Act No. 7 of 1998
Type: Commercial Modernisation | Impact: High
The most significant amendment, transforming the Corporation into a broader commercial supplier. Authorized:
- Sale, distribution, and export of books and educational aids
- Import of books, newspapers, magazines, and educational aids
- Co-publication with other entities
- Manufacture, import, export, purchase, and sale of stationery and ancillary products
Amendment Timeline
Cross-References
Bribery Act
The Corporation is a Scheduled Institution under the Bribery Act (Section 28).
Penal Code
All officers and servants are classified as public servants (Section 27).
Auditor-General
The Corporation's accounts are subject to audit by the Auditor-General or a Minister-appointed auditor (Sections 23-24).
Entity Relationships & Governance
Governance Hierarchy (1952 Design)
Current Replacement Structure (Post-1989)
Data Confidence
Research Gaps
The following areas require further investigation:
- Current Board composition: Names and backgrounds of Directors currently serving
- Number of Directors: The Act does not specify a fixed number
- Annual reports: Availability of recent annual reports submitted under Section 25
- Revenue breakdown: Government vs. commercial printing revenue split
- Textbook contracts: Current textbook and educational material printing volumes
- Commercial operations: Scale of import/export, co-publication, and stationery business since 1998
- 1978 Amendment details: Full text of the 1978 amendment — specific sections changed not confirmed
- Staff complement: Number of employees and organisational structure
- Ministerial directives: Whether the Minister has issued overriding directives under Section 6
- Financial performance: Profitability, reserves, and borrowing status