Sri Lankan police arrested a Tamil youth in Jaffna this morning after he tore up his ballot paper in a reported act of protest against the presidential elections.

^{A polling station in Mannar this morning.}

Polls have closed across the island and counting has begun in the 2024 Sri Lankan presidential election.

As of 2PM local time, turnout had been reported to exceed 50% across the North-East.

In a wide-ranging interview with News Minute journalist Padma Rao Sundarji, Jaffna MP CV Wigneswaran slammed MA Sumanthiran for his endorsement of Sajith Premadasa claiming that this was “expecting personal benefit”.

Millions of Sri Lankans have turned out today to vote today in the island’s 9^th presidential election, which is the first open presidential election since the country’s economic collapse in 2022.

Early polling indicated that across the island approximately 50% of people turned out to vote. 

A special exhibition was held in Nallur, Jaffna this week to commemorate the political wing leader of the LTTE, Lt Col Thileepan, who fasted until death to protest against the repression of Tamils 37 years ago.

Former Sri Lankan cricketer Dulip Samaraweera has been handed a 20-year ban from holding any position within Australian cricket, following allegations of inappropriate behavior towards a female player which was described as “utterly reprehensible”. 

Pakkiyaselvam Ariyanenthiran, who was put forward as the “Tamil common candidate”, has garnered support from a range of Tamil political parties and civil society organisations.

As we approach Sri Lanka’s presidential election on 21 September, Tamil Guardian takes a closer look at the leading candidates ahead of Saturday's polls.

As we approach Sri Lanka’s presidential election on 21 September, Tamil Guardian takes a closer look at the leading candidates ahead of Saturday's polls.

Sajith Premadasa, whose father Ranasinghe Premadasa had previously served as head of the United National Party (UNP) and had served in the roles of president and prime minister, is the leader of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB).

Yesterday, ahead of Sri Lanka’s presidential election, Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP), Basil Rajapaksa, reportedly left for the United States for “medical purposes”.

He is said to have boarded the Emirates Airline flight EK 659 fom Katunayake Bandaranike International Airport at 3.05 AM to Dubai and will board a separate flight to America.