Three candidates qualify as voting begins to elect new Diyawadana Nilame

By Shane Seneviratne

Colombo, Nov. 7 (Daily Mirror) - Voting to elect the new Diyawadana Nilame (lay custodian) of the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic in Kandy began, with only three candidates qualifying to contest.

Although eight nominations were initially submitted, only three were deemed eligible after verification. 

The qualified candidates are former Diyawadana Nilame Pradeep Nilanga Dela, Daminda Bandara Udurawana, the Basnayake Nilame of the Kataragama Devalaya, and A.W.S. Bandaranayake, the Basnayake Nilame of the Natha Devalaya.

The remaining candidates were disqualified due to the inability to confirm the validity of their nominations.