Former Minister Wimal Weerawansa has filed a fundamental rights petition with Sri Lanka’s Supreme Court, seeking to nullify the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed with India for the implementation of a digital identity card project for Sri Lankan citizens.
Weerawansa says that the agreement poses serious risks to national sovereignty and privacy, alleging it allows for the transfer of citizens’ biometric and personal data to an external party.
In his petition, he names the President, Prime Minister, and Cabinet of Ministers as respondents, holding them responsible for endorsing the MoU.
He notes that the agreement was initially signed in 2022 under the previous administration, and claims that subsequent Cabinet decisions in January and June this year amended the terms without proper transparency.
The petition also notes the bypassing of Sri Lanka’s domestic procurement process, claiming that responsibility for the digital ID system was handed to India despite the Department for Registration of Persons already working on a local mechanism.
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