Sri Lanka Holds Presidential Election Today (21)

COLOMBO (News 1st); The election for the 9th Executive President of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is taking place today.

Polling stations will be open from 7 AM to 4 PM.

A total of 13,421 polling stations have been established across 160 constituencies in 22 electoral districts. 

This year's election features the highest number of candidates in Sri Lankan history, with 38 individuals vying for the presidency.

A total of 17,140,354 voters are eligible to cast their ballots, including 1,148,258 new voters. 

The Gampaha district has the highest number of registered voters at 1,881,129, while the Trincomalee district has the lowest with 315,925 registered voters.

The Election Commission confirmed that ballot boxes were transported to all polling stations by last night. 

Over 150,000 government officials have been deployed to ensure the smooth conduct of the election.

The National Election Commission has assured that all necessary arrangements have been made for a peaceful, free, and fair election. The official ballot length for this election is 28 inches.

Voters who have not yet received their official ballot notices can obtain them from the nearest post office. 

However, voting is still possible with a valid ID even without an official ballot paper.

Only a limited number of designated individuals are permitted to enter polling stations. 

The use of mobile phones inside polling stations, counting stations, and result announcement stations is strictly prohibited.

After casting their votes, Election Commissioner General Saman Sri Ratnayake advises voters to return home and avoid gathering in groups.