Rajapaksa brothers seek to consolidate power in Lanka vote

Sri Lankans turned out in large numbers to vote in parliamentary elections on Wednesday despite the coronavirus pandemic, as the ruling Rajapaksa brothers sought a fresh mandate to cement their grip on power.

The parliamentary election had been postponed twice due to the virus epidemic, but finally got under way at 7 am with strict hygiene measures in place to prevent the spread of the disease.

The siblings are seeking a twothirds majority to roll back constitutional changes introduced by the previous administration that limit the president’s powers.

Analysts expect them to easily secure a majority in the 225-seat parliament. First results are expected by Thursday evening, with the final tally due late on Friday.

People began lining up outside polling stations even before they opened across the island, where 16.23 million of the 21 million residents are eligible to vote.

Turnout was up to 30 per cent in most parts of the South Asian country in the first three hours, election officials said.

“There were about 20 people ahead of me in the queue, but it took nearly an hour to vote”, a woman in Kaduwela suburb in the capital Colombo said, referring to health measures at her booth.

Voters must wear face masks, keep a social distance and bring their own pen or pencil to mark their ballot paper under rules to prevent transmission of the virus.

There were fears the risks posed by the pandemic would reduce turnout. Some 82 per cent of the electorate had voted in the November presidential election.

The unprecedented health measures have made it the most expensive vote on record at 10 billion rupees ($54 million), the Election Commission said.

After winning the presidency in November, Gotabaya Rajapaksa appointed his brother Mahinda, a former president, as prime minister in a minority government. — AFP