Voting is underway in Sri Lanka to elect a new parliament. Voting, which commenced at 7 am, will end at 4 pm local time. A total of 8,800 candidates are in the fray for 225 seats.
The Parliamentary election has a huge bearing on the future course of the Sri Lanka’s new government as President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, aims to secure a parliamentary majority. A victory in this election for the President would give a fillip towards executing the populist measures he promised. The ruling party is facing challenge from Opposition parties, including the Samagi Jana Balawegaya, led by Sajith Premadasa, and the New Democratic Front, aligned with former President Ranil Wickremesinghe. Economic concerns, intensified by food and fuel price hikes and austerity tied to an IMF bailout, have been major themes of discussion during the campaign. Voting would conclude at 4 pm local time after which the counting of votes would commence at 4:15 pm.
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