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.

September 19, Colombo (LNW): The Election Commission issued a warning against photographing or filming events at polling stations and marked ballot papers during the 2024 Presidential Election.

In a statement, the Commission urged the public to avoid taking photographs or video-recording polling activities and to refrain from uploading them on social media, deeming them a violation of election laws.

Meanwhile, the Election Commission announced a list of authorised personnel allowed to enter the polling centres during the election period. These people are;

• Registered voters of the polling station
• Polling staff
• Police officers on duty at the polling centres
• Candidates contesting the election
• Voting representatives of candidates contesting the election
• Agents of candidates contesting the election
• Regional representatives of candidates contesting the election
• Polling representatives formally appointed for each candidate contesting the election
• Local/foreign election monitors approved by the Election Commission
• Officers authorised by district returning officers

The Commission further prohibits people from possessing mobile phones, firearms, smoking, alcohol and other substance consumption and entrance to polling centres intoxicated, and practicing photography and videography.

September 19, Colombo (LNW): The People’s Action for Free and Fair Elections (PAFFREL) has received 1,618 complaints corresponding to the period of July 26 – September 18, 2024 related to election law violations, a statement released by the election watchdog disclosed.

These complaints detail sixty eight (86) occurrences of violence, including six (06) severe assaults, ten (10) assaults, sixteen (16) incidents related to threatening and intimidation, and thirty one (31) occurrences of vandalism targetting political offices, the statement read.

The PAFFREL also revealed that eighty eight (88) occurrences of public property misuse, including the usage of government-owned vehicles for election campaigning, pressuring of public servants, and arbitrary involvement of public servants for election campaigning, have occurred during this period.

September 19, Colombo (LNW): Authorities have moved to suspend three individuals, including the invigilator, involved in the recent leak of the Grade 5 Scholarship Examination question paper at Rathmale Thissa Maha Vidyalaya in Anuradhapura.

The decision follows a preliminary investigation led by North Central Provincial Education Director S.M.W. Samarakoon, who stated that statements had been recorded from those implicated in the incident.

Initial findings revealed that an assistant invigilator had photographed the first question paper and shared it on a social media group comprised of private class teachers before the examination had even begun.

In response, authorities have decided to suspend the invigilator, the assistant invigilator, and one teacher from the examination centre.

This swift action aims to address the serious breach of examination protocol and ensure the integrity of the education system.

In a broader scope, the Department of Examinations has summoned ten teachers from the Anuradhapura and Nochchiyagama areas to Colombo for further questioning.

These teachers are suspected of having received the leaked examination content through the social media group.

The incident has sparked outrage among parents, with nearly 100 complaints lodged at the Anuradhapura police headquarters. Many parents have expressed concern over the fairness of the examination, urging authorities to consider a re-examination to ensure a level playing field for all students.

September 19, Colombo (LNW): The Colombo High Court has imposed a restriction on the use of two luxury apartments in the Colpetty area, allegedly acquired by Ramitha Rambukwella, son of former Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella.

These apartments were reportedly purchased for Rs. 80 million and Rs. 65 million, respectively.

This order came in response to a petition filed by the Bribery Commission, which raised concerns regarding the source of funds used for the acquisition of these high-value properties.

The court’s decision aims to prevent any further use or transactions involving these apartments while the investigation is ongoing.

The Bribery Commission’s move to seek this restriction highlights the broader crackdown on financial misconduct and potential misuse of public office for personal gain.

This development follows a series of actions by authorities to scrutinise and address allegations of corruption within the political and administrative landscape.

The court order effectively freezes any utilisation or transfer of these properties, ensuring they remain in their current state until a comprehensive investigation determines the legitimacy of the transactions.

This case serves as a reminder of the growing vigilance in financial transparency and accountability among public figures.

September 19, Colombo (LNW): The Ministry of Education has announced that all schools across the country will observe a holiday on Friday, 20 September.

This decision was made in light of the presidential election scheduled for 21 September, following a request from the Chairman of the Election Commission to facilitate smooth electoral preparations.

The closure aims to ensure that educational institutions, many of which serve as polling stations, are adequately prepared for the election.

Additionally, it provides an opportunity for school staff and families to participate in the electoral process.

The Ministry has confirmed that schools will reopen on Monday, 23 September, resuming regular academic activities.

September 19. Colombo (LNW): Several spells of showers will occur in Western, Sabaragamuwa and Southern provinces and in Kandy and Nuwara-Eliya districts.

Showers or thundershowers may occur at a few places in Eastern and Uva provinces during the evening or night.

Strong winds about (40-45)kmph can be expected at times over the western slopes of the central hills and in North-central and Southern provinces.

The general public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimize damages caused by temporary localized strong winds and lightning during thundershowers.

Marine Weather: