Countdown to general election begins with poll date fixed for Nov 14

Following the general election to be held on November, 14, 2024, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake yesterday summoned the new parliament to meet on November 21.

The Ninth parliament of Sri Lanka was dissolved at midnight by the newly elected President in terms of power vested in him under Article 70 of the Constitution and in pursuance of the provisions of Section 10 of the Parliamentary Elections Act No. 1 of 1981.

The proclamation was made through an Extraordinary Gazette notification.

The last parliamentary election was held on August 5, 2020 and its first session was held on August 20 that year.

The 2020 election was first scheduled to be held on April 25, 2020 and the House scheduled to meet on  May 14, 2020  but due to the Covid-19 Pandemic, the holding of the election was delayed.

In the 2020 general election, the Sri Lanka Podujana  Peramuna (SLPP) secured a landslide obtaining 6,853,693 (59.09 %) of the votes polled and secured 145 seats.

The SJB came second having  obtained 2,771,984 (23.90 %) of the total votes and won  54 seats. 

The NPP won 445,958 votes (3.84 %)  and secured three seats including one national list seat.

The UNP was routed in the 2020 election obtaining  249435 votes (2.15% ) and winning only one National List seat.