Voting underway for Presidential elections in Sri Lanka

In Sri Lanka, voting is underway for the Presidential elections. Over 17 million voters are eligible to exercise their franchise to elect the ninth executive president. The island nation is holding its first election after the 2022 economic downturn. 

Voting in the presidential election began at 7 a.m. at over 13,400 polling centers across the island and will continue until 4:30 p.m. Once voting concludes, ballot boxes will be transferred to counting centers, where vote tallying will begin later



this evening.

Special security measures have been implemented, with over 60,000 police personnel, the Special Task Force, and the military deployed throughout the island. Additionally, 116 international observers have arrived to oversee the election. Although 38 candidates are running for the top post, the main contest is between incumbent President Ranil Wickremasinghe, opposition leader Sajith Premadasa, and leftist leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake.