Curfew imposed in Sri Lanka as presidential election concludes

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An overnight curfew was imposed across Sri Lanka on Saturday following the end of voting in the presidential election. The curfew, announced by the police, is set to last for eight hours and was implemented for public safety as the country continues efforts to recover from an economic crisis.

The election is regarded as an assessment of the leadership of President Ranil Wickremesinghe, who assumed office after the resignation of former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. Wickremesinghe has introduced measures intended to stabilize the economy, with support from the International Monetary Fund (IMF). These include tax increases and other financial policies designed to address the country’s economic difficulties.

The Sri Lankan Election Commission reported voter turnout at nearly 70 percent before the polls closed at 4 p.m. local time (10:30 GMT), according to provisional figures. This turnout is lower than the 83.72 percent recorded in the 2019 presidential election.

The Election Commission also stated that this election was the most peaceful in the nation's electoral history. The country has experienced significant political unrest over the past year, which led to mass protests and the departure of former President Rajapaksa.

As the votes are being counted, the results will indicate the public's response to the policies introduced under Wickremesinghe’s leadership.