Voting begins at 7 a.m. and ends at 4 p.m., with counting scheduled to start shortly after.

Sri Lanka’s ranked voting system allows voters to cast three preferential votes for their chosen candidates, with any candidate securing 50% of the votes plus one, being declared winner.

If no candidate wins 50% in the first round there is a second round of counting between the two frontrunners, with the preferential votes of other candidates redistributed, an outcome analysts say is likely given the close nature of the election.

The Election Commission will formally announce the winner, probably on Sunday.

– Reuters