Back
PremiumSri Lanka elections result 2024 Highlights: Left-leaning Anura Kumara Dissanayake became the President of Sri Lanka on Sunday following a historic run-off election. The National People’s Power leader defeated his closest rival Sajith Premadasa of Samagi Jana Balawegaya during the second round of counting. Incumbent president Ranil Wickremesinghe had been eliminated in the first round after he failed to become within the top two in the vote list.
Sri Lankans went to the polls on Saturday to elect the nation’s 10th president, marking the first election since the devastating 2022 economic crisis that led to a loan default. Turnout was at nearly 70 percent an hour before polling stations closed at 4:00 pm (1030 GMT), an election commission official said, citing provisional figures.
Counting to the Sri Lanka elections to declare the 10th President of the nation of 22 million people began at 6 pm.
The Election Commission had ordered a second round of counting after no candidate secured over 50% votes needed to be declared the winner of Saturday's election. No poll in Sri Lanka had ever progressed to the second round of counting until now — with a single candidates always emerging as clear winners based on first-preference votes.
Catch Highlights with Mint
Sri Lanka elections result 2024 LIVE Updates: Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge in a post on X said, "On the behalf of the Indian National Congress, I extend my heartiest congratulations to Anura Kumara Dissanayake on being elected the Executive President of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka."
He added, :India and Sri Lanka have a rich legacy of multi-faceted cooperation and interaction, which dates back centuries."
Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi in a post on X said, “Congratulations and best wishes to Anura Kumara Dissanayake on being elected as the Executive President of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka."
He added, “May our countries continue to work together towards mutual growth and progress."
Sri Lanka elections result 2024 LIVE Updates: Anura Kumara Dissanayake, National People’s Power leader, was sworn in as Sri Lanka's 10th president on Monday at the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo. The newly elected President took oath to the office before Chief Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya.
Sri Lanka elections result 2024 LIVE Updates: Ahead of the swearing in ceremony of Anura Kumara Dissanayake, Sri Lankan Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena resigned from his post on Monday. This move is part of a power transition in the country following the presidential election results.
Sri Lanka elections result 2024 LIVE Updates: Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting L Murugan on Monday said, “Whichever President is elected in Sri Lanka, we are maintaining good social relations with the country...We are constantly asking for the release of fishermen," reported ANI.
He added, "We have allocated ₹17 crores to Tamil Nadu for the rehabilitation of fishermen and to ensure that they do not go without GPS equipment."
Sri Lanka elections result 2024 LIVE Updates: The 9th Executive President of Sri Lanka Anura Kumara Dissanayake replied to PM Modi's post on X, "Thank you, Prime Minister Modi, for your kind words and support. I share your commitment to strengthening the ties between our nations. Together, we can work towards enhancing cooperation for the benefit of our peoples and the entire region."
Sri Lanka elections result 2024 LIVE Updates: The visuals from Sri Lanka's capital Colombo show supporters of newly elected President Anura Kumara Dissanayake celebrating his decisive victory.
Sri Lanka elections result 2024 LIVE Updates: After claiming landslide victory, leftist leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake was elected as the President of Sri Lanka on Sunday in a post on X said, “This victory belongs to all of us. Together, we stand ready to rewrite Sri Lankan history. The unity of Sinhalese, Tamils, Muslims, and all Sri Lankans is the bedrock of this new beginning. The New Renaissance we seek will rise from this shared strength and vision. Let us join hands and shape this future together!"
Sri Lanka elections result 2024 LIVE Updates: Congratulating the newly elected Sri Lanka President Anura Kumara Dissanayaka, PM Modi in a post on X (formerly Twitter) wrote, “Congratulations @anuradisanayake, on your victory in the Sri Lankan Presidential elections. Sri Lanka holds a special place in India's Neighbourhood First Policy and Vision SAGAR."
The post added, "I look forward to working closely with you to further strengthen our multifaceted cooperation for the benefit of our people and the entire region.
Sri Lanka elections result 2024 LIVE Updates: Anura Kumara Dissanayaka will take oath to office on Monday, September 23, at 9:00 am at the colonial-era President Secretariat in Colombo, election commission officials informed AFP.
Sri Lanka elections result 2024 LIVE Updates: Indian High Commissioner in Sri Lanka Santosh Jha called on president-elect Anura Kumar Dissanayake and congratulated him on Sunday night.
Conveyed greetings from India’s leadership and congratulated him on winning the people’s mandate. India as Sri Lanka's civilisational twin is committed to further deepen ties for the prosperity of the people of our two countries," the Indian High Commission wrote on X.
Sri Lanka elections result 2024 LIVE Updates: Outgoing President Ranil Wickremesinghe said that he was now handing over the care of the "child" called Sri Lanka to Anura Kumara Dissanayake.
“President Anura Dissanayake, I am handing over to your care the lovable child called Sri Lanka, whom we both love very dearly," the 75-year-old outgoing president said in a statement.
Anura Kumara Dissanayake won 5.74 million votes after two rounds of counting in the country’s first ever runoff — defeating opposition leader Sajith Premadasa, who secured 4.53 million, according to figures released by the Election Commission of Sri Lanka on Sunday. The incumbent President Ranil Wickremesinghe was dealt a resounding defeat after being knocked out in the first round with 2.3 million votes.
Sri Lanka elections result 2024 LIVE Updates: Outgoing Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe congratulated his Marxist rival after the Election Commission called the polls.
“With much love and respect for this beloved nation, I hand over its future to the new President," Wickremesinghe said in a statement.
Sri Lanka elections result 2024 LIVE Updates: NPP leader Anura Dissanayake is set to take oath as the new president of Sri Lanka on Monday.
Sri Lanka elections result 2024 LIVE Updates: Anura Kumara Dissanayake on Sunday was declared winner of the Sri Lankan presidential election on Sunday night after an unprecedented second round of counting. The Marxist leader said his triumph was a victory that "belongs to all" citizens of the South Asian island nation.
“This victory belongs to all of us. Together, we stand ready to rewrite Sri Lankan history," he wrote on X.
Sri Lanka elections result 2024 LIVE Updates: Marxist lawmaker Anura Dissanayake has claimed victory in Sri Lanka's presidential election.
Sri Lanka elections result 2024 LIVE Updates: Anura Kumara Dissanayake retained a lead amidst the early second count of votes. The new president will be declared elected after the cumulative votes and preference votes are counted.
Sri Lanka elections result 2024 LIVE Updates: National People's Power candidate Anura Kumara Dissanayake topped the first round of counting with 5,634,915 votes after a run-off election was announced
Sri Lanka elections result 2024 LIVE Updates: The Sri Lanka Guardian cited data from the Meta Ad Library to indicate that LKR 422 million was spent on political ads for the ongoing presidential elections. The publication also quoted sources to add that a substantial amount was also spent on President Wickremesinghe’s TikTok videos.
Sri Lanka elections result 2024 LIVE Updates: President Ranil Wickremesinghe has reportedly initiated the steps to hand over power amid a historic run-off poll. All candidates apart from Dissanayake and Premadasa have been disqualified for the second count — made necessary since no contender reached the 50% mark.
Sri Lanka elections result 2024 LIVE Updates: The Sri Lankan election system allows voters to select three candidates on their ballots in the order of their preference. If no candidate secures a majority, the top two will be retained and the ballots of the eliminated candidates will be checked for preferences given to either of the top two candidates, and those votes will be added to their respective tallies. The candidate with the highest number of votes after that will be declared the winner.
Sri Lanka elections result 2024 LIVE Updates: A foreign exchange crisis had spurred a shortage of essentials in 2022 — leading to street protests and the eventual resignation of then leader Gotabaya Rajapaksa. His successor Ranil Wickremesinghe had brokered a $3 billion IMF loan to stabilize the economy following the unprecedented economic crisis. The austerity measures and tax hikes that followed the bailout however dented his popularity.
Both Anura Kumara Dissanayake and Sajith Premadasa (the two run-off poll contenders) have promised to renegotiate the IMF deal to help Sri Lankans cope with rising costs that followed the bailout.
Sri Lanka elections result 2024 LIVE Updates: Presidential candidate Anura Kumara Dissanayaka and his People's Liberation Front will "not tear up" the IMF deal. Party politburo member Bimal Ratnayake told AFP that they planned to renegotiate the unpopular $2.9 billion IMF bailout agreement.
"Our plan is to engage with the IMF and introduce certain amendments. We will not tear up the IMF programme. It is a binding document, but there is a provision to renegotiate," Ratnayake said.
Sri Lanka elections result 2024 LIVE Updates: The results of the run-off could be announced later on Sunday. Tabulation is currently underwa
Sri Lanka elections result 2024 LIVE Updates: All remaining candidates, including incumbent President Ranil Wickremesinghe, have been disqualified. Dissanayake polled 39.5% of the counted ballots with Premadasa finishing second at 34%.
Sri Lanka elections result 2024 LIVE Updates: It is the first time in Sri Lanka's history that the presidential race is to be decided by a second round of counting after the top two candidates failed to win the mandatory 50% of votes to be declared winner.
Sri Lanka elections result 2024 LIVE Updates:The Election Commission of Sri Lanka called for run-off on Sunday after all candidates failed to reach the 50% mark. This will pit Anura Kumara Dissanayake — the frontrunner from the first round — against second-place candidate and opposition leader Sajith Premadasa.
State media reported that a second vote count was now underway to decide the next President of Sri Lanka — between Anura Dissanayake and Premadasa.
Sri Lanka elections result 2024 LIVE Updates: With the beginning of second preference voting, the vote counting will decide the winner between Anura Dissanayake and Sajit Premadasa.
Sri Lanka elections result 2024 LIVE Updates: Left-leaning presidential candidate Anura Dissanayake failed to secure 50% vote in the first voting. The second vote count has begun as there was no clear mandate about the winner, reported Reuters citing State TV.
Sri Lanka elections result 2024 LIVE Updates: Left-leaning Dissanayake had 40% of the 6 million votes counted, ahead of opposition leader Sajith Premadasa with 33%, as President Ranil Wickremesinghe trailed badly with 17% of Saturday's ballots, according to Sri Lanka's Election Commission, reported Reuters.
Sri Lanka elections result 2024 LIVE Updates: As Anura Dissanayake continues to lead in the race, his coalition leader has said that the international community need not to harbour any fears regarding the regime's intentions as Anur Dissanayake will not engage in the power of plays of any country.
"The international community need not harbour any fears regarding our intentions... we will not engage in the power plays of any country," Ratnayake told AFP.
Sri Lanka elections result 2024 LIVE Updates: As Anura Dissanayake inches closer to victory in the election, his party leader Bimal Ratnayake told AFP that if he comes to power Sri Lankan territory will not be used against any other nation.
“We have assured that Sri Lankan territory will not be used against any other nation. We are fully aware of the geopolitical situation in our region, but we will not participate in it," AFP quoted Ratnayake.
Sri Lanka elections result 2024 LIVE Updates: Presidential candidate Anura Kumara Dissanayaka, who is leading in the election race, will not “tear up" the IMF deal, party politburo member Bimal Ratnayake told AFP.
"Our plan is to engage with the IMF and introduce certain amendments," Ratnayake said.
Sri Lanka elections result 2024 LIVE Updates: The result of Sri Lanka presidential election will see the public mandate amid the ongoing economic crisis. The months long election campaign revolved around economic issues, with public anger widespread over the hardships endured since the peak of the crisis two years ago.
Sri Lanka elections result 2024 LIVE Updates: Dissanayake's coalition has promised the Sri Lankans to combat corruption within the government and scrutinise loan deals from nations including China, and renegotiate a $3 billion loan from the International Monetary Fund.
Sri Lanka elections result 2024 LIVE Updates: Anura Kumar Dissanayake, who is leading the race of the Sri Lanka elections is the leader of the National People’s Power, a coalition of leftist political parties and groups backed by protesters who ousted Rajapaksa. He’s gained support among voters angry at the country’s political elite — represented by candidates like the incumbent Wickremesinghe — who they blame for dragging the economy into a crisis.
Sri Lanka elections result 2024 LIVE Updates: According to reports by the poll body, Anura Kumara Dissayanke stays in lead, and gets 40% votes at halfway stage of counting.
Sri Lanka elections result 2024 LIVE Updates: Given the current numbers, reports hint that Anura Kumara Dissanayake has polled the highest number of votes. While the Dissanayake camp celebrates, they are also conscious of the final picture.
Sri Lanka elections result 2024 LIVE Updates: Presidential candidate Anura Kumara Dissanayaka and his party, the People's Liberation Front, have declared that they would not scrap Sri Lanka's $2.9 billion IMF bailout agreement. Intead, they would try negotiating it.
Sri Lanka elections result 2024 LIVE Updates: Incumbent President Rani Wickremesinghe, who is a six-time PM assumed the office as president in July 22. However, he is facing flak for his austere economic measures which Sri Lankans are finding tough to survive amid skyrocketing inflation and rising cost of living.
Sri Lanka elections result 2024 LIVE Updates: In the Sri Lankan election system, voters are allowed to select three candidates on their ballots as per their preference. In this way, if no candidate is able to secure a clear majority in first round of voting, the third most popular candidate's vote are rejected and reconsidered based on their second preference.
Sri Lanka elections result 2024 LIVE Updates: Since IMF's bailout, Sri Lanka has made a significant improvement in key economic figures. However, Sri Lankans are still struggling with high taxes and living costs.
Sri Lanka elections result 2024 LIVE Updates: Earlier, Dissanayake has made it clear that, if he comes to power, he will renegotiate the IMF deal to make austerity measures more bearable. However, Wickremesinghe has warned that any move to alter the basics of the agreement could delay the release of a fourth tranche of nearly $3 billion that is crucial to maintaining stability.
Sri Lanka elections result 2024 LIVE Updates: Amid the ongoing vote counting, the officials have declared a country-wide curfew till mid-Sunday as a precaution. However, no major incidents were reported during the vote, but authorities reported AP.
Sri Lanka elections result 2024 LIVE Updates: Prime Minister Ranil Wickremasinghe's Foreign Minister Ali Sabri officially accepted Dissanayake's victory and congratulated the next Sri Lanka President in a post on X.
"After a long and arduous campaign, the results of the election are now clear. Though I heavily campaigned for President Ranil Wickremasinghe, the people of Sri Lanka have made their decision, and I fully respect their mandate for Anura Kumara Dissanayake. In a democracy, it is crucial to honour the will of the people, and I do so without hesitation," Sabry wrote on X.
Sri Lanka elections result 2024 LIVE Updates: So far, Dissanayake has won 21 out of the 22 postal district votes while bagging several results declared thus far from the 168 geographical parliamentary seats from different districts.
