Presidential Election: Voting Begins In Sri Lanka

Sri Lankans began voting in a crucial presidential election, and it is the first to be held after the South Asian country's economy crashed in 2022. A record 38 candidates are contesting in the polls. More than 17 million of Sri Lanka’s 22 million people are eligible to vote in this election. 

Polling stations opened at 7am (01:30 GMT) on Saturday and will close at 4 pm (10:30 GMT), and the counting is scheduled to start shortly after. The Election Commission of the island nation will formally announce the winner, probably on Sunday. According to a Reuters report, Sri Lanka's first-past-the-post system permits voters to choose three candidates, with the candidate winning at least 50% or more of the overall vote declared the winner. If no candidate secures 50% in the first round, there is a second round of counting between the two frontrunners. 

Sri Lanka is witnessing an intense contest in the polls between incumbent President Ranil Wickremesinghe, the Left-leaning National People’s Power (NPP) coalition’s candidate Anura Kumara Dissanayake, and current opposition leader Sajith Premadasa. Namal Rajapaksa, the eldest son of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, is also contesting in the polls. The country has a powerful executive presidential system, with the president being the head of state, government, cabinet, and the armed forces. The Constitution of Sri Lanka says that the president can hold office for five years and has a two-term limit.