Final preparations are underway for the Presidential elections tomorrow to elect the 9th Executive President of the country. Ballot boxes are being dispatched to polling stations along with election officers to 13,421 polling centres across the country.

The Election Commission, through District Election Offices, setupped 1,234 issuing counters to dispatch ballot boxes to remote areas with police security.

Police have also taken steps to step up the security measures across the island with the deployment of 63,000 police personnel. Police Media Spokesperson DIG Nihal Talduwa said earlier today a special traffic plan will come into effect tomorrow as well.

Ahead of polls tomorrow, people were seen queuing up in markets and shops to buy essential items in Colombo and suburban areas. All schools across the island are closed today in view of the Presidential polls tomorrow.

The voting process is to commence at 7 a.m. tomorrow and will be underway till 4 p.m. For tomorrow’s polls, 17,140,354 eligible voters will be eligible to cast their votes to elect the President among 39 candidates.

For the first time in Sri Lanka, the government is to establish a mechanism to supervise and advice ministries in the implementation of policies, a source said.

A tense situation was reported at the UNP party headquarters in Sirikotha when a group of UNP supporters arrived to hand over a document on reviving the party.

Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) MP Harsha de Silva said today that an NPP MP has told him that the Parliament canteen will not be closed but the government will see that no one will abuse the facility.

Two fishermen were seriously injured and hospitalised after a parcel floating on the sea exploded while they were checking it off the coast of Mannar.

The Disaster Management Centre (DMC) and the Examinations Department have initiated a joint programme to mitigate potential disasters during the 2024 Advanced Level examinations.

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake addressed the inaugural session of the 10th Parliament of Sri Lanka today. Following are 11 key points from the President’s Government Policy Statement;

Speaker Dr. Ashoka Sapumal Ranwala informed Parliament that nomination of Sajith Premadasa, leader of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), has been accepted as the Opposition Leader of the 10th Parliament of Sri Lanka.

Jaffna District Independent MP Archuuna Ramanathan refused to move away after he sat on the Opposition Leader's seat inside the chambers despite requests by Parliament staff to move.

National People's Power (NPP) Gampaha MP Dr. Ashoka Sapumal Ranwala was elected as the Speaker of the 10th Parliament of Sri Lanka a short while ago. Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya proposed his name, and the nomination was confirmed by Vijitha Herath.

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake adjourned the Sri Lankan Parliament until 9:30 a.m. on December 3. The adjournment followed the President’s delivery of the government’s policy statement during the inaugural session of the 10th Parliament earlier today.