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The new digital ID to be an integrated e-NIC/MOSIP solution
View(s):By Tharushi Weerasinghe
A document released this month by the Ministry of Digital Economy clarified that the Digital ID project, initiated under a Memorandum of Understanding between Sri Lanka and India, will integrate the original e-NIC system. While the e-NIC project was initially scheduled for completion by December 2024, delays in its execution, coupled with the strategic and financial benefits of adopting a MOSIP-based Digital ID system, prompted the Government to revise its approach.
Advisor to President Hans Wijesuriya Pic by Dilushi Wijesinghe
“To reduce long-term costs to taxpayers and enhance system capabilities, it was decided to implement an integrated e-NIC/MOSIP solution,” the document stated. It emphasised that investments already made under the e-NIC project “will not go to waste,” noting that many e-NIC software modules, as well as all biometric devices and infrastructure deployed across Provincial Councils, District Secretariats, and Divisional Secretariats, will be reused in the rollout of the new Digital ID system. Any software or hardware components rendered redundant by equivalent systems provided through the Indian grant—such as ABIS software—will be repurposed for other government projects. Additionally, the document noted, expenses already incurred by Sri Lanka for biometric hardware will be reimbursed under the Indian grant, resulting in significant public savings.
The rollout of Sri Lanka’s proposed Digital Identity (Digital ID) project is continuing to receive growing legal and political scrutiny. Last week, former Minister Wimal Weerawansa filed a fundamental rights petition in the Supreme Court seeking to nullify the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between Sri Lanka and India for the project. The petition claims the agreement could allow the transfer of Sri Lankan citizens’ biometric and personal data to an external party. Weerawansa, who served as Minister of Digital Economy, named the President, Prime Minister, and Cabinet of Ministers as respondents, noting that the original MoU was signed in 2022 and subsequently amended by two Cabinet decisions this year.
In July, Lina Amani Rishard Hamid, of the voluntary organisation “The Nationalist,” filed a similar petition challenging the government’s Sri Lanka Unique Digital Identity (SLUDI) programme, funded by an Indian grant. The petitioner argued that outsourcing core technical infrastructure, including biometric database software, to Indian contractors compromises national security, data sovereignty, and economic independence.
Both petitions highlight that the locally developed e-NIC system, with over Rs. 5.5 billion invested and more than 80% complete, could have been operational with minimal additional funding. The e-NIC programme, initiated in 2011 under the Department for Registration of Persons (DRP), aims to establish a secure National Register of Persons, issue biometric electronic ID cards, and create a locally governed identity verification platform. By the end of 2024, it had completed over 95% of its infrastructure, trained staff across Divisional Secretariats, and digitally enrolled a large portion of the population.
Dr. Hans Wijesuriya, Advisor to the President on Digital Economy, noted that he could not comment on the ongoing legal challenges as it would be sub judice, but responded to other questions that the Sunday Times had based on concerns raised by experts.
“A trusted Digital Identity is the cornerstone of a Digital Economy Framework,” he said, explaining that the system will enable “presence-less” or remote transactions across both government and private sector services. The Digital ID will also integrate seamlessly with other Digital Public Infrastructures such as digital signatures, digital certificates, and credentials, enabling paperless transactions and interactions. In the physical space, biometric authentication, through methods such as fingerprints or iris scans, will ensure accurate identification and eliminate the risk of identity fraud.
Institutional readiness for a Digital Identity-centric ecosystem will begin in the coming months with the introduction of a sandbox environment to allow ministries and private institutions to test and integrate their systems. “The complexity of this integration will vary. Some institutions can integrate rapidly, while others will require more time and support,” Dr. Wijesuriya noted. He added that a core set of services is expected to be integrated by 2026, with more comprehensive onboarding of public and private sector entities in the following two years. Private sector integration, including banks and telecommunications companies, will take place in parallel.
Among the first services to be digitised are the issuance of digitally signed and verified certificates such as birth, death and marriage certificates, and selected licences including driving and motoring licences. “Other likely early implementations are licence renewals, passport applications, and Inland Revenue e-services,” Dr. Wijesuriya said. Private sector services, such as paperless onboarding for bank accounts and mobile connections, are also expected to be introduced within the first year of implementation.
Citizens will be required to complete a one-time registration process at an authorised centre operated by the Department for Registration of Persons. The process, similar to the current NIC registration, will collect face, fingerprint and iris biometrics to securely link the digital and physical identities. To prevent fraudulent records, a comprehensive re-enrolment and de-duplication process will be carried out, where every biometric template is cross-verified against the system to ensure each identity record is unique. “This combination of biometric validation and demographic data verification will not only detect existing fraudulent identities but also prevent the creation of new fraudulent records,” he said.
Addressing concerns about accessibility and inclusivity, Dr. Wijesuriya emphasised that the system will feature full trilingual support, widely accessible service channels, and inclusive enrolment processes to ensure equal access for all citizens, regardless of language preference, literacy level, special needs or digital skills.
The Sunday Times reached out to Mallika Suriyapperuma, Additional Secretary to the Ministry of Public Security and Acting Registrar General, for clarification repeatedly, but she was not available for comment.
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