Nearly 900,000 mobile SIM cards without verified identity details are currently active in Sri Lanka, and will be deactivated if required information is not submitted, Deputy Minister of Digital Economy Eranga Weeraratne told Parliament.
Speaking in Parliament, Weeraratne said 897,802 SIM cards in the system lack proper identity verification.
He said the new regulations aim to address shortcomings in the 2019 SIM registration framework and ensure proper implementation of registration requirements.
According to the Deputy Minister, 245,811 business SIM cards are also currently in use, with some unregistered SIMs allegedly being used in serious crimes including large-scale robberies.
Police require accurate subscriber data for investigations, he said, warning that the absence of verified information enables criminal activity.
He urged users of SIM cards without proper registration details to provide the required information, adding that failure to comply would result in deactivation.
Weeraratne said the measure is necessary to curb crime and improve national security, rejecting opposition claims that the regulation is misleading or unnecessary. (Newswire)
