A fundamental rights petition has been filed before the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka seeking to invalidate the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the Government of Sri Lanka and India for the implementation of the digital National Identity Card (NIC) project.
The petition was filed by social activist Lina Amani Rishard Hameed, naming the President—as Minister of Digital Economy—Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, and 27 other Cabinet members as respondents.
According to the petition, Cabinet decisions approving the MoU were made on 27thbof January and 2nd of June without public or parliamentary disclosure. It alleges that the agreement would allow India access to the biometric and personal data of Sri Lankan citizens, posing risks to the country’s sovereignty, security, and independence.
The petitioner argues that such access constitutes a violation of fundamental rights enshrined in the Constitution. The court has been urged to declare the MoU and the Cabinet decisions null and void and to block the implementation of the digital NIC project.
