The Myanmar junta is reportedly collecting biometric data in some areas of Yangon for changing the existing national ID cards into electronic smart card or E-ID.

These biometric data include iris scan, face and fingerprints along with name, date of birth, nationality, hair colour, eye colour, height and address.

Then the people who gave their biometric data are issued a piece of paper as a temporary smart card which contains the personal details on it.

The Military Council has started the collection of biometric data for issuing E-ID in some areas in the country since the middle of this year for issuing electronic national identity cards.

The junta asked the Chinese government for assistance to change the current paper national ID to a computerized machine-readable E-ID smart card.

The mouthpiece of the junta, English language daily Global New Light of Myanmar, reported on 22 September that Myanmar Minister of Immigration and Population Myint Kyaing discussed this issue with Chinese officials during his tour to China.

But political observers and revolutionary forces assume that this plan is being implemented when the country was in unstable situations was intended for monitoring the people in the country.

The junta immigration officials said that they were planning to change the existing paper IDs to E-IDs as the former could be easily damaged and torn.

But the revolutionary forces said that their plan was to make monitoring the people easier by collecting this biometric data.

The State Administration Council (SAC) Chairman Min Aung Hlaing said at the SAC meeting held on 1 September that the general elections would be held only after carrying out a nationwide census that will be carried out in 2024.

One political analyst pondering the changes from paper IDs to E-IDs, said while this is painted as preparation for general elections, it was more likely that the action was being taken to control the people.

The General Administration Department (GAD) and Immigration Department have reportedly started changing to Smart Card IDs in the places where there are no armed conflicts such as Karen State and some towns in Shan State besides Yangon Region.