Polling for the General Election 2015 ended peacefully, a short while ago, with no major incidents reported.

Voting in parliamentary polls showed an increase compared to previous turnouts, poll monitors also said. 

"It is a good sign to see the people enthusiastically casting their votes to elect the members of the new Parliament. The situation at election centres has so far been trouble free," Campaign for Free and Fair Elections (CaFFE) Executive Director Ranjith Keerthi Tennakoon said.

The Department of Elections announced that voters have turned out in large numbers in almost all electoral districts for polling that ended at 4.00 pm.

According to the District Returning Officers (DRO) 70% voters cast their votes in Kandy district, 65% in Rathnapura, 68% in Hambantota, 62% in Colombo, Matara, and Matale districts as at 3.30 pm. Voter turnout in Badulla and Galle districts was 63% and 61% respectively.

Meanwhile, counting of postal votes will commence at 5.00 pm and the first postal vote result will be announced by 11.00 pm, the Commissioner of Elections said.

Over 6100 candidates from a record 35 political parties and 200 independent groups were vying for 196 parliamentary seats at today’s General Elections. Polling was conducted in 12,314 polling centers island-wide, including in the seven islets in the Northern Province. 

According to the Election Department 15,440,491 people were eligible to vote. 

The police had deployed 70,549 police officers across the country to provide security on the Election Day. In addition, 4,825 officers of elite Special Task Force (STF) police and 7,000 Civil Defense Force personnel were also deployed for election duties.

Update: Turnout as at 4.00 pm (approximate) Vanni 67%, Kurunegala 68%, Nuwara Eliya over 75%, Colombo 70%.