Harshan Kumarasingham holds a PhD in Political Science from Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand, where his doctorate was awarded the Sir Desmond Todd Prize. He is Alexander von Humboldt Research Fellow at the University of Potsdam, Henry Charles Chapman Fellow in Commonwealth Studies at the Institute of Commonwealth Studies, University of London and is a Fellow at the Centre for Strategic Studies, New Zealand.

'Theoretically sophisticated and empirically rich, this book presents an interesting comparative discussion on how the Westminster system has worked in India and Sri Lanka... Not much has been written so far on the political history of these two nations in the early years of independence and this book fills a major gap in the historical literature on decolonization in South Asia.' Professor Sekhar Bandyopadhyay, Victoria University of Wellington 'This fine book deepens our understanding of what happens to the Westminster model when it travels east... Harshan Kumarasingham has a gift for making complex, exotic material intelligible and compelling to non-specialists. I say this with conviction as a South Asia specialist, since the story of 'Eastminster' in that region contains especially complex, unfamiliar features which Kumarasingham understands and brilliantly conveys. Professor James Manor, University of London 'An important and timely book... This book will be of enormous interest to students and scholars with a comparative interest in decolonization, democracy and the post-colonial state. It will also be of great value in informing contemporary debates about how democracy in the Commonwealth can best be nurtured and sustained.' Professor Philip Murphy, Institute of Commonwealth Studies, University of London 'This is the first book to compare India's and Sri Lanka's experience of the Westminster system, and how they reshaped their British parliamentary legacy. Kumarasingham's fascinating account will be of keen interest to students of history, politics and constitutions.' Professor Robert Hazell, CBE, University College London

• Preface and Acknowledgments 1. Eastminster – The Westminster System in Indiaand Sri Lanka 2. Mixed Messages? India’s Responses to its British Legacy 3. The Indian Version of First Among Equals – The Battlefor Executive Ascendency 4. Indian Federalism – A Paramount Mechanism 5. ‘Think of Ceylon as a little bit of England’ – Sri Lankaand the British Legacy6. Unconventional Conventions – Power Partnerships in theSri Lankan Executive 7. Sri Lankan Communalism – A ‘Canker’ Ignored? 8. India and Sri Lanka’s Eastminsters Compared 9. Conclusion Notes Appendix: Governors-General, Presidents and Prime Ministers ofIndia and Sri Lanka in the Post-Independence Decade Bibliography Index

Harshan Kumarasingham holds a PhD in Political Science from Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand, where his doctorate was awarded the Sir Desmond Todd Prize. He is Alexander von Humboldt Research Fellow at the University of Potsdam, Henry Charles Chapman Fellow in Commonwealth Studies at the Institute of Commonwealth Studies, University of London and is a Fellow at the Centre for Strategic Studies, New Zealand.

'Theoretically sophisticated and empirically rich, this book presents an interesting comparative discussion on how the Westminster system has worked in India and Sri Lanka... Not much has been written so far on the political history of these two nations in the early years of independence and this book fills a major gap in the historical literature on decolonization in South Asia.' Professor Sekhar Bandyopadhyay, Victoria University of Wellington 'This fine book deepens our understanding of what happens to the Westminster model when it travels east... Harshan Kumarasingham has a gift for making complex, exotic material intelligible and compelling to non-specialists. I say this with conviction as a South Asia specialist, since the story of 'Eastminster' in that region contains especially complex, unfamiliar features which Kumarasingham understands and brilliantly conveys. Professor James Manor, University of London 'An important and timely book... This book will be of enormous interest to students and scholars with a comparative interest in decolonization, democracy and the post-colonial state. It will also be of great value in informing contemporary debates about how democracy in the Commonwealth can best be nurtured and sustained.' Professor Philip Murphy, Institute of Commonwealth Studies, University of London 'This is the first book to compare India's and Sri Lanka's experience of the Westminster system, and how they reshaped their British parliamentary legacy. Kumarasingham's fascinating account will be of keen interest to students of history, politics and constitutions.' Professor Robert Hazell, CBE, University College London

• Preface and Acknowledgments 1. Eastminster – The Westminster System in Indiaand Sri Lanka 2. Mixed Messages? India’s Responses to its British Legacy 3. The Indian Version of First Among Equals – The Battlefor Executive Ascendency 4. Indian Federalism – A Paramount Mechanism 5. ‘Think of Ceylon as a little bit of England’ – Sri Lankaand the British Legacy6. Unconventional Conventions – Power Partnerships in theSri Lankan Executive 7. Sri Lankan Communalism – A ‘Canker’ Ignored? 8. India and Sri Lanka’s Eastminsters Compared 9. Conclusion Notes Appendix: Governors-General, Presidents and Prime Ministers ofIndia and Sri Lanka in the Post-Independence Decade Bibliography Index

Harshan Kumarasingham holds a PhD in Political Science from Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand, where his doctorate was awarded the Sir Desmond Todd Prize. He is Alexander von Humboldt Research Fellow at the University of Potsdam, Henry Charles Chapman Fellow in Commonwealth Studies at the Institute of Commonwealth Studies, University of London and is a Fellow at the Centre for Strategic Studies, New Zealand.

'Theoretically sophisticated and empirically rich, this book presents an interesting comparative discussion on how the Westminster system has worked in India and Sri Lanka... Not much has been written so far on the political history of these two nations in the early years of independence and this book fills a major gap in the historical literature on decolonization in South Asia.' Professor Sekhar Bandyopadhyay, Victoria University of Wellington 'This fine book deepens our understanding of what happens to the Westminster model when it travels east... Harshan Kumarasingham has a gift for making complex, exotic material intelligible and compelling to non-specialists. I say this with conviction as a South Asia specialist, since the story of 'Eastminster' in that region contains especially complex, unfamiliar features which Kumarasingham understands and brilliantly conveys. Professor James Manor, University of London 'An important and timely book... This book will be of enormous interest to students and scholars with a comparative interest in decolonization, democracy and the post-colonial state. It will also be of great value in informing contemporary debates about how democracy in the Commonwealth can best be nurtured and sustained.' Professor Philip Murphy, Institute of Commonwealth Studies, University of London 'This is the first book to compare India's and Sri Lanka's experience of the Westminster system, and how they reshaped their British parliamentary legacy. Kumarasingham's fascinating account will be of keen interest to students of history, politics and constitutions.' Professor Robert Hazell, CBE, University College London

• Preface and Acknowledgments 1. Eastminster – The Westminster System in Indiaand Sri Lanka 2. Mixed Messages? India’s Responses to its British Legacy 3. The Indian Version of First Among Equals – The Battlefor Executive Ascendency 4. Indian Federalism – A Paramount Mechanism 5. ‘Think of Ceylon as a little bit of England’ – Sri Lankaand the British Legacy6. Unconventional Conventions – Power Partnerships in theSri Lankan Executive 7. Sri Lankan Communalism – A ‘Canker’ Ignored? 8. India and Sri Lanka’s Eastminsters Compared 9. Conclusion Notes Appendix: Governors-General, Presidents and Prime Ministers ofIndia and Sri Lanka in the Post-Independence Decade Bibliography Index