News
MR, MS rev up for final stretch
More than 14.5 million Sri Lankans are eligible to cast their votes at Thursday’s crucial presidential election, the seventh since the introduction of the executive presidential system in 1978. Incumbent President Mahinda Rajapaksa and New Democratic Front (NDF) Common Opposition Candidate Maithripala Sirisena are the main contenders though 17 others are also in the fray.
The Elections Department has put in place elaborate arrangements to ensure that the election is conducted smoothly while special security arrangements too have been put in place by the Police and the security forces. Across the country, 12,324 polling booths have been set up and polling will take place between 7 a.m. and 4 p.m. on January 8. For security, 71,100 police personnel, including 5,000 Special Task Force personnel, will be deployed while 55 riot squads too will be on standby.
The security at the counting centres will be entrusted to the STF while three police personnel will be deployed to each polling booth. More than 100 international monitors are in the country to observe the poll. They include a team from the Commonwealth Secretariat. There will be 1,400 counting centers.
Meanwhile the whirlwind campaign for Thursday’s presidential election which began less than a month ago will end at midnight tomorrow with the two main candidates winding up their campaigns by holding a series of public rallies. Elections Commissioner Mahinda Deshapriya has said it is vital that a two-day period of calm prevails before the poll to enable the voter to contemplate the various policies and promises made by the candidates.President Rajapaksa will hold three final rallies in Gampaha, Nugegoda and the last one at Debarawewa in his home base of Hambantotal while the Mr. Sirisena will hold seven meetings on Monday. He will hold meetings in Nivitigala, Kolonne, Devinuawara, Galle, Kalutara and Moratuwa with the last rally near the Tower Hall in Maradana.
President Rajapaksa made an official proclamation on November 20, 2014 expressing his intention of appealing to the people for a mandate to hold office for a further term.