All set to hold Sri Lanka’s 2024 Presidential Election

Sri Lanka’s Election Commission is set to hold the 2024 Presidential Election on September 21, 2024, and the official results will be released by September 22, 2024.

This was announced by R.M.A.L. Rathnayake, Chairman of Sri Lanka’s Election Commission, during a media conference yesterday (September 19).

The media conference was attended by members of the Election Commission, Elections Commissioner General Saman Sri Rathnayake, and Police Media Spokesman DIG Nihal Thalduwa.

A significant presence of international election observers has been noted, with a total of 116 representatives from various observation groups arriving in Sri Lanka.

This includes 78 observers from the European Union (EU), marking the largest group, as well as 22 from the Commonwealth, 9 from the Asian Election Observation Network, and 7 representatives from South Asian countries.

These observers will monitor the election process across all 25 districts.

To ensure their safety, the Election Commission has coordinated with local police regarding the observers’ duties and presence.

Voting Procedures and Regulations

Elections Commissioner General Saman Sri Rathnayake clarified that first-time voters aged 18 and above without National Identity Cards can use temporary identity documents issued by the Department for Registration of Persons at polling centers.

However, voters are strictly prohibited from bringing mobile phones into polling booths.

The Election Commission has mandated the closure of temporary election offices for all presidential candidates by midnight on September 19, 2024, with strict penalties, including arrest, for non-compliance.

Voting and Counting Timeline

The counting of postal votes is scheduled to begin at 4:00 PM on Election Day, with in-person votes being counted from 7:00 PM.

A candidate must secure a majority of 50.1% of the total votes to be declared the winner.

If no candidate achieves this, preferential votes for the top two candidates will be counted to determine the winner.

Prohibition of Election-Related Activities

All outdoor election propaganda near polling centers is prohibited, and police are prepared to arrest individuals engaging in such activities.

Additionally, public screenings of election results on giant screens are banned to prevent gatherings that could lead to unrest.

DIG Thalduwa emphasized that the public should watch election results from home.

Security Measures

To ensure a peaceful election process, 63,000 police officers will be deployed for security duties at polling and counting centers.

Special protection will be in place for transporting sealed ballot boxes.

Additionally, 10,000 civil defense personnel will assist the police, and the Special Task Force (STF) will conduct monitoring operations on Election Day.

DIG Thalduwa warned that any disorderly conduct at polling stations will be met with swift action, including arrests.

The police are prepared to enforce maximum security measures until the conclusion of the election results.