Millions of Sri Lankans stand before the polls today to elect a president of the country who will face the task of strengthening the economy of the Asian country, which is experiencing its worst financial crisis in decades, reported Reuters, quoted by BTA.
Over seventeen million people out of a total of 22 million people inhabiting the country have the right to vote. About one million residents will vote for the first time in their lives, Reuters noted, adding that a tight race between three contenders is shaping up.
These are the current president Ranil Wickremesinghe, the leader of the opposition Sajith Premadasa and the MP Anura Kumara Dissanayake - leader of the Marxist party "Janata Vimukti Peramuna".
The polling stations open shortly - 4:30 am Bulgarian time, which is 7:00 am local. Voting is open until 4:00 p.m. local time (1:30 p.m. Bulgarian time). Counting of votes begins almost immediately after the sections close.
"Everything is ready to hold elections in more than thirteen thousand polling stations in the country, with 250,000 members of election commissions working," the Chairman of the Central Election Commission of Sri Lanka - Ratnyake told Reuters.
p>