The presence of a large number of candidates has cost the election authorities dearly in terms of additional expenses for extra counting centres, documentation work, and ballot paper printing, an official said yesterday.

Commissioner General of Elections Saman Sri Ratnayake told Daily Mirror that the increase in the number of candidates had resulted in larger ballot papers varying sizes according to each electoral district. He said the number of counting centres had increased from 1713 last time to 2034 this time.

"All these mean extra costs for the election office. Yet, the actual increase can be known only after proper estimates are done following polling," he said.

The General Election will be conducted throughout the country tomorrow.

According to the Election Commission, 60 polling stations, mostly, housed at Buddhist temples previously had been shifted because of ‘Katina Pinkamas’, flood threats and accessibility issues for disabled voters.

Voting will take place at 13,421 polling stations across the country from 7 am to 4 pm tomorrow. This time, 5,464 candidates from registered political parties and 3,357 independent candidates are in the fray to represent 225 members of Parliament.

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.