The Supreme Court yesterday said it would take up for consideration, on 17 October, 2025, a petition filed by former Minister Wimal Weerawansa seeking a ruling to nullify the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between Sri Lanka and India for the implementation of a project to issue digital identity cards to Sri Lankan citizens on the grounds that the project posed a threat to national security.
The petition was heard before a three-member Supreme Court bench comprising Chief Justice Preethi Padman Surasena and Justices Kumudini Wickremasinghe and Sampath Wijeratne.
The petition has named 31 individuals as respondents, including Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, the Minister of Digital Economy President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and several other Cabinet Ministers.
It alleges that the Sri Lankan government, by entering into this MoU with India, has allowed India access to the biometric data of Sri Lankan citizens, thereby enabling interference in the country’s internal affairs.
It contends that the MoU provides an opportunity for a foreign state to interfere in Sri Lanka’s sovereignty, national economy, and national security, and that it constitutes a violation of the fundamental rights guaranteed by the Constitution.
On 31 July, the Government of Sri Lanka announced that it would launch its national Digital ID system by April 2026, a move that it promises will revolutionise access to public services while ensuring strong data privacy and citizen protection.
The project, implemented under the Ministry of Digital Economy, is funded by a grant of approximately LKR 10.4 billion from the Government of India.