Sri Lanka decides today

By Yohan Perera, Darshana Sanjeewa Balasuriya and Leenah Wahab

Sri Lankans will go to the polls today to elect the ninth Executive President of Sri Lanka to run the country for a period of five years. The presidential poll holds significance this time since it is the first election to be conducted after the country went through its worst-ever economic crisis since 2022.

The election was declared on July 26 and the nominations concluded on August 15. As many as 39 candidates representing political parties and independent groups handed over nominations to contest the elections but one of them died during the campaign period.

Both President Ranil Wickremesinghe and Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa are among the candidates. Besides, National People’s Power (NPP) leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake and Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) National Organiser Namal Rajapaksa are also among the key contenders seeking presidency at today’s poll.

This time, 17,140,350 Sri Lankans are eligible to exercise their franchise at this election.

The number of electors have been increased by 1,148,184 for this year’s Presidential Elections compared to the Presidential Elections in 2019 according to the data put out by the Election Commission.

According to a report published by the Election Commission, there are over a million voters in Colombo District, Kalutara and Kandy, with the highest number of registered voters in Gampaha at 1,191,399.

Voting will take place at 3,421 polling centres across the island. The voting will take place from 7 am to 4 pm today. After polling, the ballot boxes will be transferred to 1,274 counting centres. In addition, there will be 439 postal vote-counting centres. Commissioner General of Elections, Saman Sri Ratnayake said counting of postal ballots will begin at 4.30 pm today. Votes will be counted manually. Counting of other votes will commence by 7 p.m.The preliminary final election results will be posted by the government media unit.

The first official result will be known by 11 pm according to Election Commission. The Commissioner said it is not possible to give a time frame for the completion of second preference votes in such an eventuality.

Transferring of ballot boxes were completed in most of the areas at the time this report went into press. Ballot boxes were transported by boats to the Maduwa polling station in Balapitiya. The situation was the same in Jaffna as the boxes were transferred to islands such as Delft and Kayts were transported by boats, according to returning officer S. D. Kalendran.

The Presidential Election this year is monitored by a team from European Union, People’s Action for Free and Fair Elections (PAFFREL), Campaign for Free and Fair Election (Café) and Centre for Monitoring Election Violence (CMEV) and some other international polls observer groups.

Meanwhile, the Election Commission appealed to the political parties to refrain from campaigning in and around the polling stations. Asking voters not to vote for certain candidates, distributing leaflets, displaying photographs or symbols allocated for candidates. Carrying out any of these activities will be a punishable offence. There will be two police officers posted at each polling station. Sri Lanka Police will deploy Some 63,000 police officers to ensure a safe and orderly Presidential Election. Each voter must have a poll card or proof of voter registration and National Identity Card, or any other type of identity card.

Over 63,000 police officers, 2,500 special task force personnel, and 12,000 civil defence members will be deployed for election duties to ensure a secure voting environment.

The police said that these officers will oversee the security of polling stations, conduct more than 3,000 mobile patrols, and have assigned over 12,400 officers specifically for this purpose.

On Election Day, roadblocks will be established, with STF officers on duty, and anti-riot teams will be prepared to respond as needed. In addition, police officers currently assigned to secure public places, including power plants, will be reassigned for election duties and army personnel have been deployed in those places for security. More than 3,000 officers are deployed for this purpose.

Special security measures will be in place at the premises of the Election Commission, and mobile patrols will cover the entire island using 4,600 vehicles.

The police said that gathering in groups around polling stations will not be permitted on Election Day, and legal action will be taken against those who do not comply.

Individuals arriving at polling stations under the influence of alcohol or carrying weapons, including sharp objects, will be arrested.