Presidential candidate numbers swell to 32

MP Roshan Ranasinghe submitted the required cash deposit at the Election Commission of Sri Lanka yesterday, ahead of the impending 15 August deadline for candidates intending to contest in the 21 September Presidential election. 

Four other candidates also made their deposits, including Socialist Party of Sri Lanka General Secretary Mahinda Dewage, Democratic United National Front’s Prasanga Suranjeewa Anoj de Silva, and United Democratic Alliance’s Abubakar Mohamed Infaas. Additionally, Tamil Common Candidate P. Ariyanethran also completed the necessary cash deposit.

With the addition of these five candidates, the total number of Presidential candidates has now risen to 32, just three short of the 35 who contested in 2019.

Candidates who placed deposits earlier are President Ranil Wickremesinghe, Sajith Premadasa, Anura Kumara Dissanayake, Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka, Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe, Sarath Keerthirathne, Oshala Herath, A.S.P. Liyanage, P.W.S.K. Bandaranayake and K.K. Piyadasa, Siritunga Jayasuriya, Ajantha de Zoysa, K. Ananda Kularatne, Sarath Manamendra, Akmeemana Dayaratna Thera, Battaramulle Seelaratne Thera and several others.

The ECSL said the candidates belong to 16 recognised political parties, and one other political party. 15 candidates have expressed intentions to contest as independent candidates.

Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna candidate Namal Rajapaksa is yet to submit his cash deposit.  According to the ECSL, cash deposits will be accepted until 15 August.

Meanwhile, the ECSL announced yesterday that it has received a total of 337 election-related complaints since 31 July. 329 complaints are regarding violation of election laws while one incident of election violence was recorded, the Commission said.