Sri Lanka presidential election goes to historic second count

Opposition person Sajith Premadasa of Samagi Jana Balawegaya is successful 2nd spot with astir 34.28 per cent of the full vote.

Sri Lankans voted connected Saturday to elite a caller president successful the archetypal predetermination since the economical meltdown successful 2022.

Election Commission Chairman R M A L Rathnayake said that Dissanayake and Premadasa person secured maximum votes successful the 2024 statesmanlike election.

However, helium said that arsenic neither has secured much than 50 per cent vote, the 2nd penchant ballot volition beryllium counted and added to these 2 candidates.

Voters successful Sri Lanka elite a azygous victor by ranking up to 3 candidates successful bid of preference. If a campaigner receives an implicit majority, they volition beryllium declared the winner. If not, a 2nd circular of counting volition commence, with 2nd and third-choice votes past taken into account.

Rathnayake said the caller president volition beryllium declared elected aft the cumulative votes and penchant votes are counted.

He besides said that the remaining candidates volition not beryllium considered for the penchant vote.

Dissanayake, the person of the Marxist JVP’s broader beforehand National People’s Power (NPP), is starring successful the cumulative votes.

The National People’s Power (NPP) person was earlier heading for a wide triumph but his cumulative votes dropped erstwhile astir of the votes were counted.

No predetermination successful Sri Lanka has ever progressed to the 2nd circular of counting, arsenic azygous candidates person ever emerged arsenic wide winners based connected first-preference votes.