Business & companies

ව්‍යාපාර සහ සමාගම් · வணிகமும் கம்பனிகளும்

Registration, cheques, debts, brands, insolvency

Situations

• You are starting a small business · ඔබ කුඩා ව්‍යාපාරයක් ආරම්භ කරනවා · நீங்கள் சிறு வணிகம் தொடங்குகிறீர்கள்
• You want to register a company · ඔබට සමාගමක් ලියාපදිංචි කිරීමට අවශ්‍යයි · நீங்கள் கம்பனியொன்றைப் பதிவுசெய்ய விரும்புகிறீர்கள்
• A cheque you received bounced · ඔබට ලැබුණු චෙක්පතක් ආපසු හැරුණා · நீங்கள் பெற்ற காசோலை திரும்பியது
• A customer won't pay you · පාරිභෝගිකයෙක් ඔබට මුදල් නොගෙවයි · வாடிக்கையாளர் உங்களுக்குப் பணம் செலுத்தவில்லை
• Someone copied your brand or work · කවුරුහරි ඔබේ වෙළඳ නාමය හෝ නිර්මාණය පිටපත් කළා · யாரோ உங்கள் வர்த்தகக் குறி அல்லது படைப்பை நகலெடுத்தார்
• Your business can't pay its debts · ඔබේ ව්‍යාපාරයට ණය ගෙවිය නොහැක · உங்கள் வணிகத்தால் கடன்களைச் செலுத்த முடியவில்லை

Acts, ordinances and regulations

• Companies Act, No. 7 of 2007 — How companies are registered and run, company names, shareholders, directors' duties and annual filings.
• Business Names Ordinance and provincial Business Names Statutes (e.g. Western Province Business Names Statute No. 4 of 1990) — Anyone trading under a business name must register it with the provincial registration office.
• Partnership Ordinance — Basic rules for partnerships, where two or more people run a business together and share profits.
• Prevention of Frauds Ordinance, No. 7 of 1840 — Some agreements must be in writing: land deeds must be notarially attested, and guarantees of another's debt must be signed.
• Sale of Goods Ordinance — Rules for buying and selling goods between businesses and customers: price, delivery, quality and payment.
• Bills of Exchange Ordinance, as amended by the Bills of Exchange (Amendment) Act, No. 13 of 2025 — Law on cheques. The 2025 amendment made issuing a cheque that bounces for lack of funds a criminal offence.
• Debt Recovery (Special Provisions) Act, No. 2 of 1990 — A fast court procedure (decree nisi) that banks and lending institutions use to recover larger loans.
• Civil Procedure Code (summary procedure on liquid claims) — Lets a creditor sue faster on written debts such as cheques, promissory notes and written contracts.
• Mediation Boards Act, No. 72 of 1988 — Many small money and civil disputes must first go to a local Mediation Board before court.
• Intellectual Property Act, No. 36 of 2003 — Protects trademarks, copyright, patents and designs. Infringement can be a crime and a civil wrong.
• Electronic Transactions Act, No. 19 of 2006 (amended by Act No. 25 of 2017) — Electronic records, e-signatures and contracts made online are legally recognised.
• Rescue, Rehabilitation and Insolvency (Corporate and Personal) Act, No. 12 of 2026 — New 2026 law for rescuing struggling companies and for personal insolvency. Replaces the old Insolvency Ordinance.
• Penal Code (Ordinance No. 2 of 1883) — Covers business-related crimes such as cheating, criminal breach of trust and forgery.