Criticism follows inclusion of Madras Security Printers in Sri Lanka digital ID bids

Civil society group the People’s Struggle Alliance (PSA) has raised concerns regarding the inclusion of Madras Security Printers (MSP) in the bidding process for the Sri Lanka Unique Digital Identity (SL-UDI) project.

Industry officials too have criticized the late addition of MSP, suggesting it dents the fairness and transparency of the tender process.

“The SL-UDI project is crucial for establishing a digital identity system in Sri Lanka, which is critical for the integration of various government services, including healthcare and finance. The tender process began in June 2025, with five Master Systems Integrator bidders selected by October 2025. However, MSP was added to the list of bidders in March 2026, after a court ruling in India ordered their inclusion, which isn’t fair by the other bidders,” a representative of a company participating in the Managed Service Provider bid granted anonymity to speak freely told Biometric Update.

This surprising change has raised concerns about public trust and the integrity of the bidding process, he added.

PSA has said that while there is no objection in principle to the introduction of a digital ID system, they strongly oppose the potential transfer of highly sensitive biometric data of Sri Lankan citizens to a foreign entity. “After the President visited India, a tender was issued to select a company from India to develop Sri Lanka’s digital identity card. This was initiated in October 2025, and the tender concluded in October, with the award made a month later. Based on that agreement, 5 Indian institutions had submitted bids. There were 6 companies in the list to be made public on March 13, 2026. The sixth company is the one that had previously been blacklisted in relation to an earlier digital ID tender during the Gotabaya Rajapaksa administration,” PSA Executive Committee Member Wasantha Mudalige told media recently.

Officials from the Digital Ministry defended the inclusion of MSP, stating that the Master System Integrator tender has not yet been awarded. The government has now extended the deadline for the decision to May 8.

Data for the digital identity system will be hosted in Sri Lanka. The Department of Registration of Persons is responsible for collecting identification details, including biometric data, while technical support will be provided by GovTech and a local IT firm. Officials also stated  that no shortlisted companies are blacklisted in Sri Lanka.

In August 2023, MSP was awarded a contract by the previous government, but accusation of tender manipulation led to their barring the following month. MSP has also faced questions over a separate issue relating to counterfeit liquor stickers. As Sri Lanka seeks to speed up its digital transformation, industry officials highlight the urgency of implementing the SL-UDI project effectively.

Article Topics

digital ID  |  Madras Security Printers  |  procurement  |  SL-UDI  |  Sri Lanka