More than 17 million of Sri Lanka's 22 million people are eligible to vote in an election that has shaped up to be a close contest between President Ranil Wickremesinghe, main opposition leader Sajith Premadasa and Marxist-leaning challenger Anura Kumara Dissanayake, who led in one recent opinion poll, Reuters reported.
Well-organised polling booths manned by public officials and police guided Sri Lankans on how to cast their vote as citizens in Colombo, the country's biggest city, lined up after voting began at 7 a.m. (0130 GMT).
Voting was proceeding peacefully across the island nation and queues outside booths lengthened as the day progressed, local TV channels showed. Polls close at 4 p.m. (1030 GMT), with counting scheduled to start shortly afterward. The Election Commission is expected to announce the winner on Sunday.
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