Recommended Practice based on International Guidelines
Sri Lanka
Legal Analysis
Yes, under Section 17 of BDRA, where any living new-born child is found exposed, it is the duty of person who found the child and the person in whose charge the child is placed to inform the appropriate registrar of divison within 7 days of such finding/being placed in charge. Alternatively, the person who finds the foundling may give the information to GN or police officer in charge of nearest police station. The GN/police officer in that case have duty to inform the registrar of division of birth. Under Section 20, in the case of a new-born being found exposed on an estate, it's the duty of person who found the child to inform superintendent of estate within 24 hours and the superintendent will inform the nearest medical officer within 48 hours in writing. This report will be sent by the medical officer to District Registrar in which estate is situated.
According to Section 7 of the Sri Lanka Citizenship Act 1948, "Every person first found in Ceylon as a newly born deserted infant of unknown and unascertainable parentage shall, until the contrary is proved, be deemed to have the status of a citizen of Ceylon by descent."