Courtesy The Daily Mirror

With reference to the Daily Mirror news story on the appearance  of the invalidated national identity card number of Gotabhaya Rajapksa in the electoral registers of 2017, 2018 and 2019, Mr. Rajapaksa said that although he filled the form with the new ID number and the Department of Registration of Persons had informed the Elections Department of the new identity card number what appears in the electoral list is the old ID number.

‘I filled the form stating the new ID number and mentioned the old ID number within brackets for reference purposes since the new ID number they issue bears a different form of numbering whereas the normal identity card number is derived from the birthday of the person. Also once the new identity card number is given to a person the Department of Registration of Persons informs all relevant government departments about it. As such they have informed of this change to the Elections Department as well. But for some reason what appears in the electoral registers is the old ID number,’ Mr.Rajapaksa said.