In Sri Lanka, the counting of votes is underway as NPP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake has taken a huge lead over other candidates in the postal ballots. As per the results announced by the Election Commission, the leftist leader secured over 50% of postal votes in 22 electoral districts. As trends started to come in earlier this morning, NPP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake had taken a lead over other candidates, but the opposition leader caught up as the counting progressed.

As per the results shared by the Election Commission, the leftist leader is ahead with 39% votes, while Sajith Premadasa trails at 34% and incumbent President Ranil Wickremasinghe is returning a distant third with 17% votes. The Election Commission has said that a second round of counting will be held in which all candidates except the top two are eliminated and 2nd and 3rd preference votes from other candidates will be considered. The candidate who will secure the highest votes after this round will be declared the winner.