COLOMBO – Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Digital Economy has issued a set of guidelines mandating the use of digital technologies for the public sector during remote service delivery.
The document outlines approved methods for conducting administrative and service delivery activities from home or office using digital technology amidst energy and fuel supply constraints.
Under the new guidelines, all government departments are “strongly encouraged” to conduct internal and external meetings virtually to eliminate the need for physical commuting.
The Ministry recommended meet.gov.lk as the primary secure platform for sensitive state discussions, though officials may use free versions of Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Google Meet for less critical tasks.
The government is leaning on the Electronic Transactions Act No. 19 of 2006, which provides legal recognition for electronic records and signatures.
Public officers are now authorized to approve documents using scanned signature images, digital signing tools, or approval via official email.
The ministry warned that high-security protocols must be maintained.
“Never send classified or highly sensitive government data over consumer messaging apps,” the guidelines state.
For sensitive documents that are shared, officials must use “out-of-band” password sharing—sending a file via email and its password through a separate secure message.
While the digital push is broad, certain transactions, including land transactions, notarized legal instruments, and statutory declarations, still require traditional physical signatures.
Heads of departments have been told to improve the digital skills of their staff and ensure that government-issued devices, such as laptops, are strictly monitored for physical and data security when moved out of offices for remote work.
-economynext.com
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