Office bearers

Sri Lanka Press Association

The following office bearers were elected for the coming year:

President: D.F. Kariyakarawana

Vice Presidents: Lakshman Jayawardena, Merril Perera, Nemsiri Muttukumara, P.M. Senaratne, Somaweera Senanayake, Chandrika Wijesundera, Yatiyana Pushpakumara, Chandadasa Ranawaka, Captain Tilak Senanayake, K. Sivanesa Selvan.

Secretary General: B.H.S. Jayawardena

National Secretary: Sirimal Fonseka

Foreign Secretary: Sugeeswara Senadhira

Treasurer: M.N. Pinto

Assistant Treasurers: Ramani Kanganarachchi, Thimsy Fahim

Editors
Sinhala: Muditha Kariyakarawana
Tamil: R. Sivaguranathan,
English: Arun Dias Bandaranaike.

Executive Committee: Gamini Puththapuwa, Anil Perera, Abesinghe Senaratne, K.Mathila, K.H. Piyasena, Terrence Wanigasinghe, D. Banduwardena, Ariyaratne Ranabahu, H.T. Berenger, Hemantha Kahawelage, Douglas Nanayakkara, Vasantha Rukmal, A.G. Piyadasa, Cecil Rodrigo, Vipula Ellawela, Dharmapriya Liyanaarachchi, Sujeeva Perera, P. Rubasinghe, A. Siriwardena, Lakshmi De Silva, Richmond Wijesekera, Vipula Dharmawardena, Indunil Dissanayake, Geeth De Mel, Sanath Kumara, Nimal Dahanayake.

NIC: Problem is with duplicates and renewals

By Hiranthi Fernando

"The issuing of National identity Cards has not been decentralised. This is the only point of issue," Mr. Hatharasinghe said. He explained that applications for new NICs are received at the Department through three sources. Applications are handed in to the Pradeshiya Lekam or Divisional Secretariat through the Grama Sevaka Niladharis in the respective areas. The Divisional Secretaries in turn send the applications to the Registration of Persons Department in Colombo for the issuing of the card. Applications of students sitting OL and AL examinations are sent to the Department through the school principals. Estate Superintendents send applications of estate workers. These officials have been appointed as Certifying Officers by the Commissioner of Registration of Persons.

"Apart from these new applications, there are lost Identity cards, renewals and corrections to deal with", Mr. Hatharasinghe said. "Only the Grama Sevaka and Divisional Secretary (A.G.A.) can certify these applications. The problems and delays are usually not in connection with the new applications but with the duplicates, renewals and corrections. We have to be particularly careful when issuing duplicates for lost NICs since people have been found to give false information. It is the Commissioner's responsibility".

Mr. Hatharasinghe explained the correct procedure involved in applying for NICs. Citizens over 16 years are eligible to apply for an NIC. The application for a new card should be made on the white No. 1 Form. According to the regulations of the Department, three black and white photographs of 1" x 1 3/8", showing the left ear clearly should be attached along with a copy of the applicant's Birth Certificate and stamps to the value of Rs.13. The application should be handed over to the relevant certifying authority who will dispatch it to the Department by registered post.

Applications for duplicate identity cards to replace lost ones should be submitted on a green form No. 7. The first step is to make a police entry regarding the loss. The number of the old NIC is necessary for the police entry. At the Police Station, Form No.41 given by the Registration of Persons Dept., should be filled. Two copies are given to the applicant by the police. It is only when these are taken to the Grama Sevaka Niladhari that the Form No. 7 will be issued by him. Three photographs, stamps for Rs.15 and a copy of the Birth Certificate certified by the Grama Sevaka are needed. After filling the form, it has to be taken to the Police Station again for section 2 to be signed by the Officer in Charge. Finally the form and the attachments are handed to the G.S. to be sent to the department.

For corrections and changes to the NIC, Form No. 8 (pink in colour) has to be filled and sent with the usual attachments together with the old NIC. If the address is to be changed, the G.S. must certify it. Relevant bills such as electricity and water could be produced in addition. For a change in designation, a letter from the relevant superior authority is needed. Professionals should submit proof of professional qualifications. The lower part of the form is given to the applicant as a temporary identity.

For renewals, Form No.9 is used.

"The first NICs were issued in 1972 and 1973. These were invalidated by a gazette notice in 1990", Mr. Hatharasinghe said. "Up to 1975, the Birth Certificate was not required when applying for the NIC.

"In cases where the proper birth details have not been given, the renewed NIC number could change since the first five figures depend on the date and year of birth. We then give a letter to say that the old NIC number has been invalidated and a new one given. The last four numbers are given by the Central Bank.

"Last month, the numbers issued by the Central Bank were finished and we could not issue cards till we were given fresh numbers".

According to Mr. Hatharasinghe, there is a special counter for Very Urgent NICs of all categories. Cases of operations or medical treatment, examinations, interviews or scholarships which cannot be postponed and when an NIC is urgently needed in order to get a passport are classified as Very Urgent. "We have asked the certifying officers to understand the urgency and send these applications to the department by hand, in sealed envelopes, through the applicant or an authorised person", he explained. "We try to issue these the same day or the next, with no extra charge. Last week, there was a case of a patient who needed to go abroad for an urgent operation.

"We informed the Passport Office that the NIC was being processed. It was given in two hours and the passport was ready by 2.30 p.m.". There is also an Urgent category which takes about a week to issue the card.

Mr. Hatharasinghe stressed it is important to make a note of the NIC number. "When applying for a duplicate NIC, if the old number is not known, we may have to send Birth Certificate to the Registrar General's office if we have any suspicions", he said. "If the forms are not properly filled, the required documents not attached or false documents given, we have to make inquiries before issuing the NIC. All this means delay.

Further, the Assistant Commissioner said that people sometimes make inquiries regarding applications, which the department cannot trace. When making inquiries he says you should state the Divisional Secretariat, the District, application number, date of posting and registered number.

"We receive many telephone inquiries too, which are noted down and checked", Mr. Hatharasinghe said. "Sometimes people do not cooperate by giving the necessary details. If details are available, recent applications can be traced in a few minutes.

Applications are sent in bundles under one registration number, from the Divisional Secretariats. The applicant can verify if his application has been included".

Mr. Hatharasinghe said that each day the department receives around 8000 applications. Of these they process and post about 3,000 to 3,500 applications daily. The average received per month is around 98,500 of which about 70,000 to 75,000 are processed.

The issuing of NICs is not computerised at all and is done manually. When questioned why they did not computerise, he said there was a proposal to move the office to a building more suitable for installing computers. "This building is old and would require much renovation to install computers. When the Department was first opened, its functions were different from what it is now.

The population has increased and the work load has increased with it. The NIC is needed for everything, passports, examinations, at checkpoints and so on. "We started with a small aim. Now functions have expanded vastly but resources have not kept pace. "We are handling the expanded functions with the same machinery," the Assistant Commissioner said.

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