Cabinet approval has been granted to issue an identification number at birth to every child born in Sri Lanka.
The announcement issued by the Cabinet Office in this regard is as follows.
“According to the Births and Deaths Registration Act, the Registrar General’s Department has the power to register any child born in Sri Lanka at birth and issue a National Birth Certificate to that child. According to the provisions of the Registration of Persons Act No. 32 of 1968, the Department of Registration of Persons is entrusted with the maintenance of the National Register of Persons and the issuance of National Identity Cards at the request of Sri Lankan citizens who have attained the age of 15 years and above. The Department of Registration of Persons is also empowered to issue Sri Lanka Identity Number to every Sri Lankan citizen under the Electronic Transaction Order No. 1 of 2019 issued in terms of the Electronic Transactions Act No. 19 of 2006. The use of a single identification number will enable Sri Lankans in the future to easily and efficiently carry out activities from birth to death and obtain services from both the public and private sectors. Accordingly, the proposal made by the President in his capacity as the Minister of Defense to issue the Sri Lanka Identity Number online to the Registrar General’s Department through the Information System of the Department of Registration of Persons; and to issue the birth certificate of the relevant person by the Department of the Registrar General including the said number was approved by the Cabinet.”