AMN/ WEB DESK
Sri Lanka voted to elect a new president today in an election that remained largely peaceful. The election, which was a first since the economic downturn of 2022, has been reported to have witnessed a turnout of between 75 and 80 percent.
Voting for the presidential elections was held today in Sri Lanka, where over 17 million voters stepped out to choose the ninth executive president. After the conclusion of the voting process, ballot boxes were shifted to the counting centres in all electoral districts. The Election Commission has said that counting of postal ballots has commenced and the results of the postal ballots will be released tonight.
The commission has said that a final outcome is expected tomorrow, even if counting goes into the second round. The election follows a preferential voting system, requiring a candidate to secure over 50% to win. The election, which had the economy as a key issue, featured a three-cornered fight between incumbent President Ranil Wickremasinghe, leftist alliance leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake, and opposition leader Sajith Premadasa.