Introduction
Legal Background
The Electronic Transactions Act No. 19 of 2006 in Sri Lankan law highlights that a handwritten signature (this can be by agreeing verbally, electronically or by physically signing something). Under Section 21 of the ETA, eSignature solutions can be used to give electronic records that are admissible as evidence to support contracts in court.
Digital Signature Provider in Sri Lanka
The Central Bank of Sri Lanka requested LankaClear (Pvt.) Ltd. (LCPL) to be the financial sector Certification Service Provider (CSP). LCPL launched Sri Lanka's first Certification Authority under the brand name LankaSign in accordance with the Electronic Transaction Act, No.19 of 2006 on May-22-2009. A CSP is an authority on a network that issues and manages security credentials and public-private key pairs for message signing and encryption. As part of the Public Key Infrastructure (PKI), a CSP checks with a Registration Authority (RA) to verify information provided by the requestor of a Digital Certificate. If the RA verifies the requestor's information, the CA can then issue a Digital Certificate that can be used for the purpose of signing and encrypting electronic transactions.
LankaSign in its first phase started providing digital certificates to Banks to be used in financial transaction clearing systems, such as SLIPS and CITS (Cheque Imaging and Truncation System), where the CSP and Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) was made available on LCPL's Virtual Private Network (VPN).
Aligning with the Electronic Transaction Act, No.19 of 2006, LankaSign follows a stringent process on validating the certificate users and their respective organizations before issuing a digital certificate. Due to its high security standards, LankaSign was able to obtain certification on ISO 27001:2013 for its Information Security Management System in the year 2015.
The process to obtain a Digital Signature
The Application Form should be filled and submitted to LankaClear (Pvt) Ltd with the Ministry/Department/Institutional seal.
Only one digital certificate will be issued to one particular Applicant for one particular requirement.
Corporate documents required for signing agreements : Act or Gazette regarding the establishment of your Ministry/Department/Institution.
Hard copies of corporate documents were accepted at LankaClear office at Level 18, Bank of Ceylon Head Office, “BOC Square”, No. 01, Bank of Ceylon Mw, Colombo 01. Now the customers can submit scanned copies of corporate documents and the duly signed agreement online via our Helpdesk email helpdesk@lankaclear.com.
Documents required for signing agreements for Sri Lankan nationals certified true copies by an Attorney-at-Law:
a. Copy of the NIC/ Passport/Driving License
b. Instructions to read before filling your form: https://www.lankaclear.com/assets/images/knowledge-center/lankasign/downloads/Instructions-for-Filling-Forms-v2.3.pdf
c. Statement for Government Institutions: https://www.lankaclear.com/assets/images/knowledge-center/lankasign/downloads/Statement-of-Signatures-Government-Institutes-v1-1-28July2021.pdf
d. Application for Digital Signature for Government Institutions: https://www.lankaclear.com/assets/images/knowledge-center/lankasign/downloads/CA01-Digital-Certificate-Application-Form-General-v4.5.pdf
If you have already signed the agreement as an Institution, for new applicants, you only have to send the application form ver. 4.5 (Signature of the approving officer should be the officer who signed the agreement) along with the NIC attested by an Attorney at Law or Commissioner of Oath.
Request information, quotation/pricing on certificates and tokens LankaClear Contact Information
Phone : 011 2356999 / 011 2356900
Email : helpdesk@lankaclear.com