Sri Lanka: Parliamentary election begins

The Sri Lankan Electoral Commission said the people of Sri Lanka cast their ballots at the polling stations on Wednesday morning to elect new members of parliament.

Iran Press/Asia: Sri Lankan voters, wearing masks and keeping a distance of one meter in the early hours of the election, went to the polls to elect their candidate.

Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa was elected last November projecting himself as the only leader who could secure the country after the Islamic State-inspired bombings of churches and hotels that killed 269 people.

His older brother, the charismatic Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, is seeking a majority of the 225 seats in parliament to return as prime minister.

At least four members of the family are contesting for seats and strong support for the Rajapaksas' party could add to their political dynasty.

More than 16 million people are eligible to vote to elect 196 lawmakers, with the rest being named from a national list according to the number of votes received by each party or independent group.

The election was originally scheduled for April but twice postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Sri Lanka has largely contained the spread of the virus with 2,834 confirmed cases including 11 deaths.

Sri Lanka, with a population of about 21 million and an economy heavily dependent on the tourism industry, has faced various economic problems since the onset of the coronavirus crisis.

On the other hand, the political crisis in Sri Lanka, as well as the terrorist attack last year and the death of 279 people, have added to the country's economic recession.

214/219

Read More:

President felicitates Sri Lanka on independence day

Militants attack Muslim voters in Sri Lanka

Saudi Wahhabism footprints in Sri Lanka attacks