Voting for 2020 parliamentary election begins

Voting for the 2020 parliamentary election got underway at 7.00am this morning. Polling is taking place at 12, 985 polling centres across the island. 

Polling is taking place as per strict health guidelines issued by health authorities to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and under tight security. 

A total of 16, 263, 885 voters are eligible to cast their ballots to elect 225 legislators for Sri Lanka's 9th Parliament. 

Campaigning during the election has been relatively peaceful thus far with only minor incidents being reported. Police have been deployed in force to guard polling centres and in some cases, Special Task Force (STF) personnel too have been deployed at selected locations. 

Voting will take place from 7.00am to 5.00pm. After polling concludes, the ballot boxes will be transported to designated counting centres where they will be kept under guard overnight. Counting of ballots is scheduled to begin tomorrow morning. 

The Election Commission stated yesterday that final results of the parliamentary election are expected before midnight tomorrow (6) while results of preferential votes can be expected before midnight on Friday (7). 

Voters in Nuwera Eliya arrived for a poling station to cast their votes. Pix by G. Kishanthan