Sri Lanka: Voting ends in Presidential election; First Postal Vote Results Expected Before Midnight

Colombo: The first postal vote result is likely to be out before midnight, Sri Lanka’s Election Commission announced after the conclusion of voting in the Presidential election, on Saturday.

“The 2024 Presidential Election has been the most peaceful election day in history. The ballot boxes are being transported to counting centres now. The counting will begin at 7 pm and the first results, reflecting the postal votes, will be released before midnight,” Lankan media quoted Election Commissioner General Saman Sri Ratnayake as saying after the conclusion of voting.

The much-anticipated election, the first after island nation’s worst-ever economic crisis, saw a total of 39 candidates in the fray with incumbent President Ranil Wickremesinghe, Leader of the Opposition Sajith Premadasa of Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) party and Marxist leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake of Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna party being considered the front-runners to the election, the results of which will be keenly watched in the region.

Out of the total population of around 22 million, 17,140,350 Sri Lankans were eligible to exercise their franchise at this election. This included 1.2 million new voters. (IANS)

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