People vote at a polling station in Colombo, Sri Lanka on Nov. 14, 2024. Voting in the Sri Lankan parliamentary election began on Thursday morning at 7:00 a.m. local time after the opening of polling stations across the South Asian country. Over 8,000 candidates are contesting the election, with over 17 million eligible voters participating. The Sri Lankan parliament consists of 225 seats, with 113 needed to form a majority government. (Xinhua/Chen Dongshu)
COLOMBO, Nov. 14 (Xinhua) -- Voting in the Sri Lankan parliamentary election began on Thursday morning at 7:00 a.m. local time after the opening of polling stations across the South Asian country.
Over 8,000 candidates are contesting the election, with over 17 million eligible voters participating.
The Sri Lankan parliament consists of 225 seats, with 113 needed to form a majority government.
The election is seen as crucial for both President Anura Kumara Dissanayake's National People's Power (NPP) and his political rivals. Dissanayake has pledged a transformative agenda for Sri Lanka, which requires a solid parliamentary majority to advance his goals.
Polls will close at 4 p.m. on Thursday in the country. ■
Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake (L, front) leaves a polling station after casting his vote in Colombo, Sri Lanka on Nov. 14, 2024. Voting in the Sri Lankan parliamentary election began on Thursday morning at 7:00 a.m. local time after the opening of polling stations across the South Asian country.
Over 8,000 candidates are contesting the election, with over 17 million eligible voters participating.
The Sri Lankan parliament consists of 225 seats, with 113 needed to form a majority government. (Photo by Gayan Sameera/Xinhua)
People vote at a polling station in Colombo, Sri Lanka on Nov. 14, 2024. Voting in the Sri Lankan parliamentary election began on Thursday morning at 7:00 a.m. local time after the opening of polling stations across the South Asian country.
Over 8,000 candidates are contesting the election, with over 17 million eligible voters participating.
The Sri Lankan parliament consists of 225 seats, with 113 needed to form a majority government. (Xinhua/Chen Dongshu)
People wait to cast their votes at a polling station in Colombo, Sri Lanka on Nov. 14, 2024. Voting in the Sri Lankan parliamentary election began on Thursday morning at 7:00 a.m. local time after the opening of polling stations across the South Asian country.
Over 8,000 candidates are contesting the election, with over 17 million eligible voters participating.
The Sri Lankan parliament consists of 225 seats, with 113 needed to form a majority government. (Photo by Ajith Perera/Xinhua)
A voter shows her painted finger after casting her vote at a polling station in Colombo, Sri Lanka on Nov. 14, 2024. Voting in the Sri Lankan parliamentary election began on Thursday morning at 7:00 a.m. local time after the opening of polling stations across the South Asian country.
Over 8,000 candidates are contesting the election, with over 17 million eligible voters participating.
The Sri Lankan parliament consists of 225 seats, with 113 needed to form a majority government. (Photo by Zhou Hanqiu/Xinhua)
People vote at a polling station in Colombo, Sri Lanka on Nov. 14, 2024. Voting in the Sri Lankan parliamentary election began on Thursday morning at 7:00 a.m. local time after the opening of polling stations across the South Asian country.
Over 8,000 candidates are contesting the election, with over 17 million eligible voters participating.
The Sri Lankan parliament consists of 225 seats, with 113 needed to form a majority government. (Xinhua/Wu Yue)