Over 100,000 NICs within next three weeks

by Ananda KANNANGARA

Over 100,000 permanent NICs will be issued by the Department for Registration of Persons (DRP) during the next three weeks to reduce the issuing of temporary identity cards for voters to exercise their franchise at the forthcoming Presidential Election.

DRP Commissioner A. G. Dharmadasa said the Department is working round the clock to process NICs.

According to Elections Department statistics, over one million people are waiting to have either their permanent National Identity Cards (NICs) or temporary identity cards before the Presidential Election.

Meanwhile, the Elections Department yesterday reiterated that all Grama Niladaris, especially in areas where Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) live in large numbers, must remain at their offices at least three to four days a week until January 26 to issue temporary identity cards.

Elections Department Deputy Commissioner, P. M. Siriwardana said an announcement on the issue of temporary IDs will be made to the media by Elections Chief Dayananda Dissanayaka towards the middle of the week.

A senior Elections Department official said a large number of applications received for temporary IDs from the North and the East were rejected due to the non-provision of correct information. “Proper counselling services should be carried out for IDPs when filling their applications for temporary IDs,” he said.

He also mentioned that voters who do not possess valid NICs could use the passport, the driving licence, the Government service pension identity card, elders identity card or the identity card issued to clergy by the DRP to cast their vote.