Election Commission (EC) Chairman R. M. A. L. Rathnayake said that they hope to conclude the official releasing and announcing of the 2024 Presidential Election results declaring the winning candidate by September 22.
He said this during the special Election Commission Media Conference held yesterday (19) morning at the Department of Government Information auditorium joined by the members of the Election Commission, Elections Commissioner General Saman Sri Rathnayake and Police Media Spokesman DIG Nihal Thalduwa. A team of Election observers from the European Union who are in the country to observe the Presidential election were also present. Youth aged 18 years plus not having National Identity Cards issued to them yet and are eligible to vote for the first time can produce their temporary National Identity documents with their photographs issued by the Department for Registration of Persons at the respective polling centers as a valid personal identification document which is accepted to cast their vote, Elections Commissioner General Saman Sri Rathnayake said.
The EC Chairman stressed that carrying mobile phones to the polling booths by voters is strictly prohibited and to refrain from taking mobile phones when going to cast their votes which was also affirmed by the Police Media Spokesman DIG Nihal Thalduwa.
The temporary election offices erected for Presidential candidates of all parties in all electoral districts in the country have been instructed to be shutdown and removed by midnight yesterday (19) by the EC. Strict action will be taken on those who violate these rules including arrest by the Police, the EC Chairman said.
The EC Chairman said they hope to begin counting of postal votes in each district from around 4 pm and votes cast on the Election Day from around 7 pm. He said that if a candidate has a clear majority of 50.1 percent of the total votes then that person will be declared the winner of the Presidential election, failing which counting of preferential votes given for the top two candidates who received the highest number of votes will be carried out from the valid vote ballot papers of the other presidential candidates to decide the winning candidate out of the top two. All outdoor election related propaganda and near the polling centers to coerce and influence voters is strictly prohibited and orders are given to the Police to arrest those engaged in such illegal activities.
Police Media Spokesman DIG Thalduwa said that outdoor public screening on giant screens of election results and crowd gathering is strictly banned and for all people to stay indoors and view the election results in private at their homes. He further said that measures have been taken by the police to prevent violence including brawls during public screening of election results and such screens and equipment will be removed and confiscated and the crowds gathered will be dispersed.
Thalduwa said that 63,000 police officers will be deployed for the security of the presidential election and other duties including security for the polling and counting centers and special security will be provided to safeguard the sealed ballot boxes during transportation from polling centers to counting centers in all districts including protection from natural disasters and other dangers. He said that maximum police protection and security will be enforced across the country until post election results. 10,000 civil defense personnel will be deployed to assist the Police and Police Special Task Force (STF) officers will be deployed to conduct Election Day street monitoring mobile trips. DIG Thalduwa said that police have been tasked to use maximum force if any person behaves riotously in the polling centers on the day of the Presidential election including arresting such individuals who break the law.
