The ballot paper for Colombo District at this year’s General Election is slated to be longer than last year’s ballot paper of the Presidential elections which was around two feet with 17 political parties and 25 independent groups joining in the fray in Colombo.

The ballot paper would also have to allot space for the display of numbers, to cast the preferential votes.

The 17 political parties that had entered the fray are SLPP, UNP, SJB, Sri Lanka Socialist Party, Socialist Equity Party, National Development Front, Sihala Deepa National Front, United Socialist Party, Janasetha Peramuna, National People’s Party, United Socialist Front, Nawa Sihala Urumaya, Democriaitc United National Front, Liberal party and Jathika Jana Balawegaya.

Nominations of Ape Janabala Pakshaya led by Venerable Athureliye Ratana Thera, Api Okkama Rajawaru Okkoma Wasiyo and Mawubima Janatha Peramuna and one independent group was rejected.

Some of the front liners of major parties are Dinesh Gunawardene, Wimal Weerawansa, Susil Premjayantha, Tilanga Sumathiapala, Gamini Lokuge and Udaya Gammanpila of SLPP, Ranil Wickremesinghe, Ravi Karunanayake and Daya Gamage will be contesting from the UNP. Businessman A. S. P. Liyanage is a newcomer from the UNP. Many UNPers including Patali Champika Ranawaka, Harsha de Silva, Sujeewa Senasinghe, Mujibur Rahaman, Hirunika Premachandra and Sajith Premadasa who will be contesting from Colombo District for the first time are among those who have entered from SJB in Colombo. Anura Kumara Dissanayake, Sunil Watagala, Lakshman Nipunarachchi, Hemantha Kumara and Ranjan Jayalal are among those who are contesting from Jathika Jana Balawegaya.(Yohan Perera)

Pix by Pradeep Pathirana