Sri Lanka to elect a new President on 21 September

Sri Lanka will go to the polls to elect a new President on 21 September 2024, the Election Commission of Sri Lanka announced, Friday.

The Election Commission of Sri Lanka issued a Gazette notification stating that nominations for the polls will be accepted on 15th August 2024.

The term of the current President expires on November 17, 2024 and the election?of the President must take place not less than one month and not more than two months before the expiration of the term of office of the President in office, as stipulated in Article 31 (3) of the Constitution.

Meanwhile, the Election Commission said that in terms of Section 8 of the Presidential Elections Act, No. 15 of 1981 it is hereby informed that a presidential candidate or some person on his behalf shall deposit or cause to be deposited, with the Election Commission or with any person authorized by the Election Commission in that behalf, on office days (Excluding Saturday and Sunday) between 8.30 a.m. to 4.15 p.m. and only on 14.08.2024, from 8.30 a.m. to 12 noon between the date of publication of the notice under Section 2 of the Presidential Elections Act, No.15 of 1981 i. e. 26.07.2024 and before twelve noon on 15.08.2024, the day before the date of nomination i. e. 14.08.2024 at the Office of the Election Commission, Sarana Mawatha, Rajagiriya.

A candidate nominated by a recognized political party must deposit a sum of Fifty Thousand Rupees in legal tender while a candidate nominated by any other political party or by an elector, a sum of Seventy Five Thousand Rupees in legal tender. (Colombo Gazette)