The acceptance of nominations for the 2024 Presidential Election is scheduled to begin today from 9.00 a.m. to 11.00 a.m. at the Election Commission office in Rajagiriya.

Accordingly, candidates who have made their deposits by 12.00 noon on 14 August 2024 for the presidential election to be held on September 21 are required to visit the Election Commission office to submit their nominations, the election regulatory body said.

Meanwhile, the written objections can be submitted by opposing candidates or individuals who have signed the nomination papers of opposing candidates between 9.00 a.m. to 11.30 a.m. on the day of nomination.

Against this backdrop, the vicinity of the Election Commission Office in Rajagiriya has been designated as a special security zone due to the accepting of nominations, while the Sri Lanka Police announced that a special traffic plan would be implemented in the area from 8.00 a.m. to 2.00 p.m. today.

The Election Commission noted that that Rajagiriya Sarana Mawatha will be closed to vehicular and pedestrian traffic until 02.00 p.m. and that employees of the aforesaid institutions and vehicles visiting those institutions will not be allowed to utilize the access road from Sarana Mawatha between 6:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. Instead, transportation should be directed through the access road near the Rajagiriya bus stand, it added.

The public is advised to avoid the area as all general activities will be suspended for the day and all the government offices and hospitals in the area will remain closed during the aforementioned, said the Chairman of the Election Commission.
 
He also emphasized that any parades or processions are prohibited after the handing over of nominations and that they are hoping to commence printing the ballots as soon as the nominations are accepted.

The deadline for the placing of deposits for the candidates contesting the 2024 Presidential Election concluded at 12 noon on Wednesday (14), while 40 individuals in total have placed deposits to contest the upcoming presidential election.

This includes 22 candidates from recognized political parties, 01 from other political parties and 17 independent candidates nominated by a voter.