• Requests public to avoid congregating or going to vote while intoxicated 

The Police warned that there would be checkpoints and vehicle searches after the Presidential Poll and hence urged the public to cooperate in the searches.

“There will be possible checkpoints as well as vehicle searches after the Poll,” Police Media Spokesperson, Deputy Inspector General of Police Nihal Thalduwa said at a press conference yesterday (18). “We urge the public to cooperate with such, as it is for their own protection.”

The Police further urged citizens not to congregate while intoxicated after the Poll and while the results are being announced due to a possibility of causing a disruption. However, Thalduwa said that gathering in a private residence or a private property will be acceptable and would not warrant Police action unless it is a cause for disruption. “If people want to gather and watch the results being broadcast at their homes, then it is acceptable and within their right to do so,” Thalduwa said. 

Thalduwa also urged voters to not go to the Poll intoxicated as this may cause a disruption and lead to the individual in question being removed. “If the person appears to be drunk or intoxicated in any way and does not know what he or she is doing, then we may have to remove him or her,” Thalduwa said. 

“The person must appear to be in good sense and behave as a common person; they will then be able to enter the polling station. There have been cases of people going to polling stations intoxicated.”

Sri Lanka’s Presidential Election will take place on 21 September and will include 38 candidates in running for the Presidential role. The country has 17.1 million voters this year (in 2024) with one million of them being first time voters.