A record 35 candidates filed nominations Monday for next month’s Sri Lankan presidential election, but the incumbent has opted not to seek a second term with the entry of popular former defense chief Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who is considered the favorite.

Accepting nominations for the upcoming Presidential Poll began this morning at the office of the National Elections Commission (NEC).

“Since 2016, all government borrowings have been used to settling debt. Not for any other expenditure,” Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera has disclosed.

Railway trade unionists have sought the intervention of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) after the authorities suspended the services of some 3,000 employees after they failed to heed to deadlines to report for work.

Attorney-at-law Nagananda Kodituwakku, yesterday, said that an utterly corrupt electoral process had deprived him of the opportunity to contest the Nov. 16, 2019 presidential election. Kodituwakku was the first to declare his intention to run for President. He did so in 2017.

Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena has decided not to stand for re-election in November polls as the politically influential Rajapakse family nominated two candidates by final registration Sunday.

Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) Presidential Candidate Gotabaya Rajapaksa signed his nomination papers a short while ago.

The President says that the brave soldiers have been able to overcome all hostilities against Motherland at all the times.

SLFP working committee allows President Maithripala Sirisena to decide on party’s position on upcoming Presidential Election, SLFP spokesman said.

With a record number of candidates vying in the Presidential Election this year, the cost of the Election could be as high as Rs. 5 billion as against Rs. 4-4.5 billion envisaged earlier, Election Commission Chairman Mahinda Deshapriya said yesterday.

United Democratic Front candidate Sajith Premadasa yesterday pledged to introduce a new tax structure to attract foreign investors and to come up with programmes to boost small and medium entrepreneurs if elected to office as President of Sri Lanka next month.

Media Spokesman of the United National Party Minister Harin Fernando says the UNP does not formulate political plans based on court rulings.

Sri Lanka on Friday urged India to remove trade barriers for better economic cooperation among South Asian nations, saying the move by the neighbouring country to restrict exports of onions has a massive impact on prices here.

The Court of appeal has dismissed the petition challenging the citizenship of SLPP Presidential candidate Gotabaya Rajapaksa.

UPFA Hambantota District MP Chamal Rajapaksa made a cash deposit at the Elections Commission today to contest the 2019 Presidential Election.

The price of a domestic Litro gas cylinder (12.5kg) would be reduced by Rs 240 with effect from midnight today, Ministry of Industry Commerce said.