Ensure those eligible have NICs: Ministry tells Div. Secs. following RTI application by journalist

The Ministry of Publ i c Administration has advised divisional secretaries to ensure that people obtain their National Identity cards after a Right to Information ( RTI) application filed by a journalist revealed that there were many people without identity cards.

The Journalist Tharindu Jayawardena had filed RTI applications to all 331 Divisional Secretariats (DS) in the country seeking information of the number of persons above the age of 18 without National Identity cards.

The journalist received responses from 67 of the Divisional Secretariats which revealed that 52,734 persons were without NICs.

The highest number, 2,440, were from the Walikamam South/West Sanilippai DS in the Jaffna district.

Other areas where there were more than 1,000 people without NIC’s included, Karandeniya

( Galle) - 1,929, Kelaniya DS (Gampaha) – 1,746, Nochchiyagama DS (Polonnaruwa) -1,555, Bingiriya

DS ( Kuruneala) – 1,706, Panduwasnuwara DS (Kurunegala) -1,407, Mulatiyana

DS ( Matara) - 1,284, Athuraliya

DS ( Matara) – 1,342, Weligama DS (Matara) -1,228, Pallama DS (Puttlama) – 1,221, Welikanda DS (Polonnaruwa) 1,091 and Ruwanwella DS ( Kegalle) 1,048.

Three DS areas in the Anuradhapura district also had over 1,000 persons without NIC’s . They are Thalawa – 1,192, Rambewa 1,174, Galnewa 1,159 Rajanganaya- 1,124 and Mihintala 1,009. In Galle the Badegama and Balapitiya DS areas also had 1,020 and 1,167 persons without NIC’s.

The information was submitted to the Ministry of Public Administration, Chairman Elections Commission, Human

Rights Commission and the Registrar of Persons by the group Volunteer Initiatives for Election watch as the NIC is a compulsory document for voting.

The Ministry of Publ i c Administration had thereafter informed the Divisional Secretariats to make arrangements to issue NIC’s to those who are eligible.