Election voting ends, ballot counting begins at 6 p.m.

The election monitors says that a great enthusiasm was seen among the general public who casted their votes at today’s Presidential election as the voting ended at 4.00 p.m.

Voter turnout of many districts was at a higher level, with 70 per cent voter turnout reported in Nuwara Eliya district, 68 per cent in Mullaitivu district, 67 per cent in Matale district while 51 per cent reported in Jaffna district, the Election Returning Office (ERO) said.

The election monitors added that the voting was carried out peacefully, and no major election violence incidents were reported during the period.

The ballot boxes are now being transported to the ballot counting centres. The ballot counting will start at 6.00 p.m. with the observation of international monitors, officials from the People’s Action for Free and Fair Elections (PAFFREL), Centre for Monitoring Election Violence (CMEV), and the Campaign for Free and Elections (CaFFE).

Some 15,044,490 voters were eligible to cast their votes at 12,314 polling stations in the 22 administrative districts. Election Commissioner Mahinda Deshapriya said that there were 303 postal vote counting centres and 1,109 main counting centres set up in 44 places countrywide.

All together 19 candidates are contesting at today’s election, including incumbent President Mahinda Rajapaksa from the UPFA and former Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena from the New Democratic Front (NDF).

(Ada Derana)