The Constitution of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka CHAPTER I THE PEOPLE, THE STATE AND SOVEREIGNTY 1. Sri Lanka (Ceylon) is a Free, Sovereign, Independent and Democratic Socialist Republic and shall be known as the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka. 2. The Republic of Sri Lanka is a Unitary State. The State Unitary State 3. In the Republic of Sri Lanka sovereignty is in the People and is inalienable. Sovereignty includes the powers of government, fundamental rights and the franchise. Sovereignty of the People 4. The Sovereignty of the People shall be exercised and enjoyed in the following manner:– Exercise of Sovereignty (a) the legislative power of the People shall be exercised by Parliament, consisting of elected representatives of the People and by the People at a Referendum; (b) the executive power of the People, including the defence of Sri Lanka, shall be exercised by the President of the Republic elected by the People; (c) the judicial power of the People shall be exercised by Parliament through courts, tribunals and institutions created and established, or recognized, or created and by by the law, except in immunities and powers of and of its wherein the judicial power of the People may be exercised directly by Parliament according to law; (d) the fundamental rights which are by the Constitution declared and recognized shall be respected, secured and advanced by all the organs of government and shall not be abridged, restricted or denied, save in the manner and to the extent hereinafter provided; and (e) the franchise shall be exercisable at the election of the President of the Republic and of the Members of Parliament and at every Referendum by every citizen who has attained the age of eighteen years and who, being qualified to be an elector as hereinafter provided, has his name entered in the register of electors.