Sri Lanka sets time frame to hold Presidential polls

By Easwaran Rutnam

The Election Commission of Sri Lanka announced, Thursday, that the Presidential election will be held on a day between 17th September and 16th October 2024.

The election commission said that it will call for nominations to hold the presidential election within the specified timeframe in terms of the provisions of the Constitution and the Presidential Elections Act, No. 15 of 1981.

Current President Ranil Wickremesinghe, Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa and National Peoples Power (NPP) leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake are expected to be the main contenders at the polls.

The Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) led by former Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa is yet to decide if it will support Wickremesinghe or put forward its own candidate.

The Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) led by former President Maithripala Sirisena has indicated its intention of putting forward Minister Wijeydasa Rajapaksha as its candidate at the polls.

Gotabaya Rajapaksa won the last Presidential election but was forced to resign following mass protests in 2022. (Colombo Gazette)