(COLOMBO, LANKAPUVATH) –A special unit has been set up at the Department of Registration of Persons to provide the National Identity Cards (NICs) tor over 300,000 voters who cannot obtain NICs due to the lack of a birth certificate and a proof of residence.
The unit has received over 5,000 requests from people without the NICs and it has issued NICs to over 1,000 persons, the Commissioner General of the Department of Registration of Persons, Wyani Goonetilleke says.
Voters without birth certificates should forward their application to the special unit along with affidavits from three close relatives who have NICs, affidavits from three long-term residents in the area with NICs and the recommendation from the Grama Niladhari.
Voters applying for the NICs should be citizens of Sri Lanka.
Mr. Goonetilleke said the program has been started in consultation with the Election Commission for the voters who have been unable to vote for the Local Government Elections in the absence of National Identity Cards.
The Commissioner General also said that the Department maintains mobile programs in the hill country estates to raise awareness among the estate sector voters on the new program to obtain NICs.
