Pointing out that Presidential Polls held today have been free and fair without any major incidents, Elections Commissioner Mahinda Deshapriya says that the first result of the election can be expected after 10pm tonight.
He stated that the counting of postal votes has already commenced and that postal vote results can be released from 10.00pm onwards. He, however, said that an exact time cannot be predicted for when the final result will be released tomorrow.
He said that 328 complaints have been reported to Election Commission center. However, no major incidents have been reported from any of the polling centres, which can impact the overall results.
Counting will not be suspended at any place, Mahinda Deshapriya said
The Elections Chief, speaking at a press conference after voting concluded, expressed his gratitude to all individuals who contributed in conducting successful polls in the country.
Meanwhile Deshapriya expressed his condolences to the family of the political supporter who succumbed to injuries, sustained in a shooting carried out while he was decorating an election stage.
He also wished a speedy recovery to the persons wounded in election-related incidents of violence.
The Commissioner, keen to ensure a free and fair poll, today had visited the offices of the state television to demand a correction of a news story concerning an opposition front liner.
Voting ended at 4.00pm today with an unusually high turn out, especially in the Northern and Eastern parts of the country. Election officials estimated more than 65-70 per cent voting in most places in the first seven hours of voting.
There were no major reports of violence, although local election watchdog Campaign for Free and Fair Elections (CaFFE) said some voters had been prevented from voting.
About 1,076 polling stations were set for elections.
There are 19 candidates in the fray. But the main fight is between President Mahinda Rajapaksa, who is seeking a third term, and his former cabinet minister Maithripala Sirisena.
Rajapaksa and his family voted in the home base of Hambantota while his challenger Sirisena voted in the north central provincial town of Polonnaruwa.
