Sri Lanka elects fifth President today
 

by E. Weerapperuma

An estimated 13.3 million Lankans will vote today to elect the country's fifth Executive President with pollsters predicting a close race between the main candidates Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse and Opposition leader Ranil Wickremesinghe.

The Elections Commissioner's Department yesterday was a hive of activity making the final arrangements for today's poll.

Polling will commence at 7.00 a.m. and close at 4.00 p.m. There will be 10,486 polling stations, covering 160 polling divisions in 22 districts. This election is the 5th Presidential election since the promulgamation of the Constitution of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka in 1978.

According to the Election Commissioner's Department this year 13,327,160 persons are eligible to cast their votes including 428,128 new voters. Of these 323,428 are postal votes and 24,724 are votes of displaced persons. At the April 2004 General election the registered number of voters was 12,899,032. Nominations were handed over on October 7 and although 14 candidates had made deposits only 13 candidates submitted their nominations to enter the Presidential race.

No major incidents were reported after campaigning ended at midnight on November 14. Election Commissioner Dayananda Dissanayake has urged voters to go to the polling booths early.

Although the Department has issued an official polling card this is not compulsory to vote. They could obtain a ballot paper from the presiding officers. It will be convenient to carry one's identity card or other means of identification.