The company responsible for printing passports has been directed to deliver 750,000 passports within a month, according to Leader of the House Susil Premajayantha, who addressed Parliament in response to opposition allegations of corruption in the government’s efforts to introduce a new passport issuing system without following proper tender procedures.
Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa criticized the government for lacking a contingency plan during the transition to the new passport system, blaming the President and his Cabinet for not adhering to due process. Premadasa accused them of facilitating an unsolicited proposal to implement the new system.
Minister Premajayantha explained that the introduction of the e-passport system had been delayed due to technical issues, leading to a shortage of regular passports. He acknowledged that the Department of Immigration and Emigration failed to conduct the necessary audits during this transition period.
In response to the crisis, the government has decided to print 750,000 regular passports to alleviate the shortage. Premajayantha noted that the printing company requires some time to complete the order, which has caused the current delays. He assured that the Department of Immigration and Emigration is managing the situation in the meantime, with the passports expected to be ready within a month.