Sri Lanka presidential election: Polls close with 70% turnout, first result expected at midnight

Turnout was at nearly 70 per cent an hour before polling stations closed at 4:00 pm (1030 GMT), an election commission official said. 

Election Commissioner General Saman Sri Ratnayake said that first results can be expected by midnight today.

Voting for the 2024 Presidential Elections began at 7.00 am in 13,421 polling stations across the island.

Kurunegala – 65%

Kegalle – 65%

Gampaha – 62%

Galle – 61%

Puttalam – 57%

Nuwara Eliya – 70%

Matara – 64%

Rathnapura – 60%

Colombo – 60%

Kalutara – 60%

Mannar – 60%

Badulla – 56 %

Trincomalee – 54%

Monaragala – 65%

Hambantota – 60%

Vanni – 58%

Jaffna – 49%

Ampara – 60%

Anuradhapura – 70%

Mullathivu – 57%

Kilinochchi – 56%

Kandy – 65%

Several districts in Sri Lanka including Galle, Puttalam, and Polonnaruwa have seen a turnout of over 40 per cent since voting began at 7 am. 

Thirty-five cases of election law violations were reported during the first three hours after polling began at 7 am local time, local media reported on Saturday citing a polls observer group.

According to the People’s Action for Free and Fair Elections (PAFFREL), the violations including illegal propaganda activities and influencing voters.

Former Sri Lanka Army Commander, Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka cast his vote at the Sri Sudarshanarama Viharaya in Kelaniya.

Given the uncertainty of the results of the presidential election in Sri Lanka, India has embraced a wait-and-watch approach. A recent report by ORF said that New Delhi saw the election as purely domestic and was willing to work with any incoming government.

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Presidential candidate Sajith Premadasa, cast his vote at the Sri Vivekaramaya Viharaya polling station in Rajagiriya, local media reported. 

Presidential candidate Namal Rajapaksa also voted in the election on Saturday. 

President Ranil Wickremesinghe, who is seeking re-election to the top post, cast his vote on Saturday at the College House polling center at Colombo University, local media reported. 

The key issues in this election are Sri Lanka's economy and growth, changes in taxation, geopolitics, and jobs and welfare.

Incumbent President Ranil Wickremesinghe is seeking re-election. He is being challenged by Anura Kumara Dissanayake from the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) party and Sajith Premadasa of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) party.

Millions of Sri Lankans cast their votes on Saturday (Sept 21) to select a new president who would face the task of cementing the country's fragile economic recovery following its worst financial crisis in decades.