ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lankaâ€s election turnout at the 2024 parliament election has been around 55 to 65 percent at several districts, according to their returning officers, which is the lowest since the 2010 general election, according to information now available.
President Anura Dissanayake said he expected a “strong mandate†to govern during his term.
In 2010 when President Mahinda Rajapaksaâ€s United Poepleâ€s Freedom Alliance won 144 seats, the turnout was 61.3 percent.
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Initial assessments by the district returning officer of Puttalam put the turnout at 56 percent, speaking to Sri Lankaâ€s Sirsa TV, which lower than the 61 percent polled in the district in 2010.
In Badulla turnout was estimated at 66 percent in the 2024 election, against 58 percent in 2010.
In Polonnaruwa District Returning Officer Sujantha Ekanayake estimated turnout of 65 percent compared with 61 percent in 2010.
In Jaffna, turnout was estimated at 60.9 percent, against just 19.3 percent in 2010.
In Matara, District Returning Officer, Ganesha Amerasinghe said, the turnout was about 67 percent against 55 percent in 2010.
In Colombo turnout was estimated at 60 to 65 percent by the district returning officer Prasanna Ginige.
In Moneragala, District Returning Officer, Pasan Rathnayake said the turnout was about 65 percent, against 56.4 percent in 2010.
Party officials said turnout could be around 65 percent, in the 2024 elections.
Turnout in the 2010 parliamentary elections was 61 percent. In 1989 turnout was 63.6 percent.
The 2010 election was won by United Peoples Freedom Alliance led by ex-President Mahinda Rajapaksa. The UPFA polled 60 percent of the votes winning 144 seats in the 225 member parliament.
Rohana Hettiarachchi said while conditions were peaceful and probably the most free and fair elections held in the country, turnout was estimated around 60 to 65 percent. (Colombo/Nov14/2024)
