Sri Lanka's Supreme Court Challenges Digital ID Project Amid Rights Concerns

The Supreme Court of Sri Lanka has raised alarms over the India-funded Unique Digital Identity project, following a petition that claims it violates fundamental rights. Former minister Wimal Weerawansa argues that the initiative lacks transparency and poses national security risks by potentially exposing citizens' biometric data to foreign entities. The court has set a hearing for October 17 to further address these concerns. This legal challenge highlights the ongoing debate over digital identity initiatives and their implications for privacy and security in Sri Lanka.

By Narendra Chaudhary Aug 27, 2025, 19:33 IST

Supreme Court Issues Notices Over Digital Identity Initiative

In a significant legal development, Sri Lanka's Supreme Court has issued notices to President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and the Cabinet regarding the India-supported Sri Lanka Unique Digital Identity (SL-UDI) initiative. This action follows a petition that claims the project infringes on fundamental rights.

The petition was submitted by former minister Wimal Weerawansa, who argued that the government's move to advance the initiative lacks transparency and has not adequately informed Parliament or the public.

During Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Colombo in April, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was established to facilitate the sharing of India's extensive digital solutions to aid Sri Lanka's digital transformation efforts.

The Unique Digital Identity project, funded by an Indian grant, aims to provide secure digital identification for Sri Lankan citizens, akin to India's Aadhaar system. This initiative is being executed through collaboration between India's Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) and Sri Lanka's Ministry of Digital Economy.

Weerawansa's petition contends that amendments made to the original MoU signed with India in 2022, through Cabinet decisions in January and June of this year, have allowed New Delhi to 'select and control' critical technical aspects of the project, including the Master System Integrator (MSI) and the biometric database software (MOSIP).

He further asserted that the project could jeopardize Sri Lanka's national security, as citizens' biometric and demographic information might be vulnerable to foreign access without sufficient protections.

The Supreme Court has scheduled the next hearing for October 17.