September 18, Colombo (LNW): Sri Lanka is set to elect its 9th executive president this Saturday, 21 September, as voters head to the polls across 13,421 stations nationwide.
Voting is scheduled from 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., with the Election Commission having wrapped up all campaign activities at midnight on the 18th, ushering in a period of electoral silence.
During this time, all forms of electioneering are strictly forbidden, and law enforcement agencies have been empowered to arrest anyone breaching these regulations.
Commissioner General of Elections Saman Sri Ratnayake confirmed that extensive preparations have been undertaken to ensure a smooth electoral process. Voters are advised to bring their polling card and a valid form of identification to their designated polling station.
Acceptable forms of ID include a National Identity Card (NIC), a valid driver’s licence, a passport, an elderly identity card issued by the Department of Social Services, or a pensioner’s identity card issued by the Department of Pensions.
Additionally, identity cards issued to clergy members and temporary IDs specifically provided for the disabled community will also be accepted.
For those lacking these documents, a temporary ID issued by the Election Commission through the Grama Niladhari officers is valid.
This year’s presidential election provides voters the opportunity to express their preferences for multiple candidates.
The Commissioner General explained the process for marking the ballot, clarifying that voters can cast their vote using an ‘X’ or the Arabic numeral ‘1’.
Voters may also indicate their preferences by marking their first, second, and third choices using the numerals ‘1’, ‘2’, and ‘3’, respectively.
Any markings deviating from this standard will result in an invalid vote.
In a bid to ensure that all eligible voters can participate, the Postal Department has announced that post offices will remain open on election day.
This decision aims to accommodate the approximately 300,000 official ballot papers that remain uncollected at post offices across the country.
Postmaster General Ruwan Sathkumara encouraged voters who have not yet received their polling cards to visit their local post office.
The Election Commission, in collaboration with other government departments, has made extensive efforts to ensure that the electoral process is accessible, fair, and conducted with integrity.
This includes maintaining open channels of communication and providing clear guidelines on the voting process.
As the country approaches this pivotal moment, authorities are focused on facilitating a seamless transition of leadership through democratic means.
