- All 3 objections to nominations rejected, one independent candidate absent, altogether 22 from recognised political parties, 16 independents & 1 from other parties
The Election Commission (EC) said that it has accepted the nominations of all 39 Presidential candidates who submitted their nominations yesterday (15) for the Presidential Election to be held on 21 September.
The EC Chairperson R.M.A.L. Rathnayake announced that the three written objections (opposing candidates or opposing individuals who have signed the nomination papers of the candidates against whom objections are being made in writing) presented following the submission of nominations, filed during the period allocated for the presenting of objections which ended at 11.30 a.m., were rejected. He stated that the members of the EC decided to reject all three objections which had been submitted concerning the candidates J.D.M. Janaka Priyantha Kumara Ratnayake, Ven. Battaramulle Seelarathana Thera, and Hitihamilage Don Oshala Lakmal Anil Herath.
Addressing the candidates, signatories and others present at the Elections Secretariat, he said that 39 candidates had submitted nominations during the allocated period from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. yesterday. This includes 22 candidates from recognised political parties, one from other parties and 16 independent candidates. Accordingly, the nominations of all 39 Presidential candidates who submitted nominations have been accepted, he declared.
The acceptance of nominations for the upcoming Presidential Election concluded at 11 a.m. yesterday at the Elections Secretariat in Rajagiriya.
A total of 40 candidates had placed bond deposits to contest the 2024 Presidential Election by the Wednesday (14) deadline of 12 noon. However, one of the independent candidates (Sarath Kumara Gunaratne) nominated by a voter was not present yesterday to hand over his nomination.
Accordingly, the 39 Presidential candidates are as follows: recognised political parties (Hitihamilage Don Oshala Lakmal Herath of the New Freedom Front, A.S.P. Liyanage of the Sri Lanka Labour Party, Sajith Premadasa of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya, P.W.S.K. Bandaranayake of the National Development Front, Dr. Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe of the National Democratic Front, Siritunga Jayasuriya of the United Socialist Party, Sarath Manamendra of the New Sihala Urumaya, Ven. Battaramulle Seelarathana Thera of the Janasetha Front, K.R. Krishan of the Arunalu People's Front, Dissanayake Mudiyanselage Anura Kumara Dissanayake of the National People's Power, Pani Wijesiriwardena of the Socialist Equality Party, Priyantha Pushpakumara Wickramasinghe of the Nawa Sama Samaja Party, J.D.K. Wickramaratne of the Ape Janabala Party, Mahinda Dewage of the Sri Lanka's Socialist Party, Agampodi Prasanga Suranjeewa Anoj de Silva of the Democratic United National Front, Abubakar Mohamed Infaz of the United Democratic Alliance, Dilith Susantha Jayaweera of the Sri Lanka's Communist Party, Nuwan Sanjeewa Bopage of the Socialist People's Sansadaya, Namal Rajapaksha of the Samabima Party, Lakshman Namal Rajapaksa of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna, J.W.M. Janaka Priyantha Kumara Ratnayake of the United Lanka People's Party, and Muthuwahandi Lalith De Silva of the United National Freedom Front), other political party (Ajantha De Zoysa of the Ruhuna People's Front), and independents (Ranil Wickremesinghe, Sarath Keerthirathna, K.K. Piyadasa, K. Ananda Kularatna, Ven. Akmeemana Dayarathana Thera, Siripala Amarasinghe, Field Marshal Gardihewa Sarath Chandralal Fonseka, Biyanwilage Antony Victor Perera, Abhidurus Muhammad Ilyas, Marakkala Manage Premasiri, Pallimulla Kapugamage Anura Sidney Jayarathne, D.M. Bandaranayake, M. Thilakarajah, Anuruddha Ranasinghe Arachchige Roshan, Pakkiya Selvam Ariyanethiran, and Polgampala Ralalage Chaminda Anuruddha).
The allocation of symbols to candidates from other parties and independent candidates was expected to follow shortly after the conclusion of the nomination submission and acceptance process.