Arrangements were underway to issue temporary identity cards for voting at the forthcoming Presidential and Parliamentary elections, said Commissioner of Registration of Persons A. G. Dharmadasa yesterday.

He said that Cabinet approval had been granted on November 18, following a Cabinet Paper submitted by Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickremanayake as the Department of Registration of Persons came under his purview.

The Commissioner said that with the Presidential Elections being held according to the Electoral Register of 2008, almost 2.6 million voters did not possess their NICs and some of the voters possess alternate identity cards that have been recognised by the Commissioner of Elections. As identification has been made compulsory for voting purposes those who do not possess alternate IDs would have to obtain temporary cards for voting.

Commissioner Dharmadasa said that the government had decided to bear the cost of issuing temporary identity cards.

He said that forms would be issued through the 12,000 or more Grama Niladharis in the country who would indicate a studio in that locality where two photographs would be taken free of charge and the applications which are attested by the GS would be forwarded to the Department of Registration of Persons through the 331 Divisional Secretariats in the country.

He said that apart from the GS, School Principals, Samurdhi Niladharis and Agricultural Officers could attest the applications.