Colombo, May 7 (Daily Mirror) – The government should immediately clarify reports that the tender for Sri Lanka’s proposed digital identity card project is being awarded to an Indian company, National Trade Union and Civil Front Convener Specialist Dr. Chamal Sanjeewa said.

Addressing a media briefing yesterday in Colombo, Dr. Sanjeewa claimed that handing over biometric data of Sri Lankans, including fingerprints and iris details, to a foreign company posed a serious threat to national security and personal data protection.

He alleged that the current government was proceeding with a project that had previously been questioned by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake while in the opposition.

Dr. Sanjeewa said the world today is heavily dependent on data, and warned that giving a foreign entity control over sensitive personal information of Sri Lankan citizens could expose the country to international data trafficking and external influence.

He further claimed that data trafficking had become one of the world’s largest illegal industries, surpassing even arms and drug trafficking, and stressed that those who control large volumes of data wield significant global power.

According to him, allowing a third party to collect and control personal data ranging from blood types to biometric details could create serious national security concerns if confidential information falls into the wrong hands.

Dr. Sanjeewa also questioned whether the tender was being awarded to a “blacklisted” Indian company linked to controversial transactions in Sri Lanka and other countries, alleging possible financial irregularities similar to recent controversies surrounding coal tenders.

He said Sri Lanka possessed the technical expertise and engineering capability required to implement such a project locally, and argued that awarding the contract to a foreign company while overlooking local professionals was unfair to Sri Lankan experts.

Claiming that the total value of the project exceeded Rs. 40 billion, Dr. Sanjeewa warned that any misuse of funds or compromise of biometric data could result in irreversible consequences.

He called on the government to issue an official statement on the matter without delay.