Voters’ registration for 2024 is to commence today (1 January 2024) despite initially being planned for 1 February, the Elections Commission (EC) said yesterday (31 December).

Speaking to The Daily Morning yesterday, EC Chairman R.M.A.L. Rathnayake said that the relevant process had to be expedited in view of the upcoming Presidential Election.

“It is the voter registration for 2024 that we consider for the Presidential Election. As per the Constitution, the Presidential Election should be held before 16 October 2024. We will have to call for nominations in July or August. The voters’ register should be prepared by that time.”

Accordingly, he said that the relevant government officials such as the Grama Niladharis would be entrusted with the task of going house to house and obtaining the necessary information for the registration of voters. He further said that the relevant newspaper advertisements and gazette notification would be published today to inform the public of the same.

President and Finance, Economic Stabilisation, and National Policies Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe recently said that both Presidential and Parliamentary Elections would be held within the course of this year. With the Presidential Elections being scheduled to be held, several leading political parties have hinted at the candidates who would possibly be fielded by them. Among them are; incumbent President and United National Party (UNP) Leader Wickremesinghe, industrialist Dhammika Perera,  Opposition and Samagi Jana Balawegaya Leader Sajith Premadasa, and Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna-led National People’s Power Leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake.