Ayurveda Act — Lineage & Amendments
The Ayurveda Act, No. 31 of 1961 is the foundational legislation for the regulation and development of traditional medicine in Sri Lanka. It covers four distinct systems of indigenous medicine: Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani, and Desiya Chikitsa. Enacted just 13 years after independence, it established a comprehensive institutional framework — a government department, a professional council, and an education board — that remains active over six decades later.
Act Overview
The Act created three statutory bodies: the Department of Ayurveda (headed by a Commissioner, now Commissioner-General), the Ayurveda Medical Council (for practitioner registration and discipline), and the Ayurveda Education and Hospital Board (for education standards and the Central Hospital). It has been amended three times — in 1969 (financial auditing), 1977 (university alignment), and 2023 (comprehensive modernization).
Legend: 🟤 Principal Act | 🔴 Amendment | 🔵 Related Act | 🟣 Predecessor
Source Documents
| Act / Instrument | Year | Source | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ayurveda Act No. 31 of 1961 | 1961 | Parliament of Sri Lanka | |
| Amendment Act No. 9 of 1969 | 1969 | Source TBD | — |
| Amendment Law No. 7 of 1977 | 1977 | Source TBD | — |
| Amendment Act No. 19 of 2023 | 2023 | Parliament of Sri Lanka |
The Ayurveda Act has been remarkably stable — only three amendments over more than six decades. The 2023 amendment was the most significant, modernizing a framework largely unchanged since the 1970s.
Governance Hierarchy
The Act creates a three-pronged institutional structure under the Minister, all coordinated through the Commissioner-General for Ayurveda.
Legend: 🔵 Minister | 🟤 Commissioner-General | 🟢 Department | 🟠 Council | 🟣 Board | Light blue = affiliated university institutions | Dashed = academic/advisory link
Act Structure
The Act is organized into six Parts covering the Department, a dedicated fund, the Medical Council, the Education and Hospital Board, registration of practitioners, and general provisions.
Legend: 🟤 Principal Act | 🟢 Part I — Department | 🟡 Part II — Fund | 🟠 Part III — Council | 🟣 Part IV — Board | 🔵 Part V — Registration | 🔴 Part VI — General