Voting for the Presidential election was officially concluded at 5.00 p.m. today.

Galle, Ratnapura, Polonnaruwa, Moneragala and Trincomalee districts recorded a voter turnout of over 80 per cent while Kandy, Matara, Kurunegala, Kilinochchi, Kegalle, Vavuniya, Badulla and Ampara districts recorded a voter turnout of 75 per cent.

The Meteorology Department today warned of thundershowers exceeding 100 mm accompanied by severe lightning at several places in Western, Central, Sabaragamuwa and North-western provinces in the evening or night.

The average voter turnout as at 2.00 pm was recorded as 60 per cent, Execute Director of the People’s Actions for Free and Fair Elections (PAFFREL) Rohana Hettiarachchi said.

Police totally rejected rumours that several roads had been closed while claiming that the election so far has been peaceful.

The average voter turnout of the presidential election was recorded as over 50 per cent as at 12.00 noon, the Execute Director of the People’s Actions for Free and Fair Elections (PAFFREL) Rohana Hettiarachchi said.

Centre for Monitoring Election Violence (CMEV) said they have received multiple reports of voters at polling centres in Buddhist temples including the Rambukkana Raja Maha Viharaya in Bandaragama being influenced to vote in particular ways by monks t

The winner of today’s presidential election will be known on Sunday if he or she secures at least 50% + one votes in the first round of counting, Election Commission Chairman Mahinda Deshapriya said yesterday.

The voter turnout of the presidential election was recorded as nearly 25 per cent as at 10 a.m., elections officials said.

TNA MP, M.A. Sumanthiran told the Daily Mirror that these roadblocks existed earlier as well and the people in the north were familiar with roadblocks and that it won’t hinder them casting their vote today.

A group of unidentified people had opened fire after pelting stones at two Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) buses which were transporting people from Puttalam to Silawathura at Thanthrimale this morning, police said.

Police yesterday threatened to file court action if any military roadblocks or checkpoints were set up in the Jaffna District today, as such obstacles to voting would constitute a violation of election laws.

The first election result can be released by midnight today, an official said.

Voting for the presidential election commenced at 7 am today at 12,845 polling centres island-wide. The voting sessions will close at 5.00 pm.

With the Met Department forecasting heavy rains today, the Disaster Management Centre (DMC) has set up a special unit to minimise any such impacts during the polling period, DMC Spokesman Pradeep Kodippily said.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremasinghe issued a statement yesterday saying the country is ready to hold the first free and fair presidential election under the conducive environment created in terms of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution and said the

Police Media Spokesman Ruwan Gunasekera requested the general public yesterday to video election law violations if they notice any such incidents and post them on social media such as Facebook.

President Maithripala Sirisena donated Rs. 1 million, Rs. 2 million and Rs. 2.5million to 69 families with twins, triplets and quintuplets at the President’s House yesterday for the future welfare of these children.

The Information Technology Society of Sri Lanka (ITSSL) today said it had observed 34 election propaganda activities over social media, carried out by both the two main presidential candidates and others, since the closing of campaigns on Wednesday,

The police said today that voters would be arrested if their mobile phones rang inside polling stations, disrupting officials on duty. Therefore, the police said it would be advisable for voters not to carry mobile phones inside polling stations.

A serene environment has been created throughout the country for voters to cast their votes freely at the Presidential Election tomorrow, the President’s Media Division said.

The price of wheat flour has not been changed or revised and any retailer selling flour at an increased price will be raided, the Industry and Commerce Minister said.

Mickey Arthur is likely to become Sri Lanka’s next head coach despite Chandika Hathurusingha not having been officially been fired yet.

A SriLankan flight which was scheduled to land at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) this afternoon was diverted to the Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (MRIA) due to the adverse weather conditions, the MRIA duty manager said.

A driver of a van who arrived at the Tzu Chi National School in Hambantota to transport ballot papers was taken into custody today after fifty eight fake ballot papers were found in the van, the Hambantota Police said.

The letter circulating on social media, which is alleged to have been issued by the State Intelligence Services and addressed to the President, about a survey carried out by intelligence services on the presidential election is false, the police said

The wheat flour price increase announced by wheat flour dealers is illegal and politically motivated, Convener of the Cabinet Committee on Cost of Living, Non-Cabinet Minister Dr Harsha De Silva said today.

At least 50 officials, who were on election duty at the Royal College, were admitted to the National Hospital, Colombo today due to food poisoning, hospital sources said.

President Maithripala Sirisena said today a free and fair election was being held in the country for the first time in its history because he had decided to remain neutral.

The Department for Registration of Persons (DRP) had issued more than 200,000 temporary National Identity Cards (NICs) and handed them over to the Elections Commission by yesterday, DRP Commissioner General Viyani Gunathilaka said.