There were at least 139 election related violations across the island, between the open of polls at 7am and 1pm, according to the Centre for Monitoring Election Violence (CMEV).

The majority of violations were illegal campaigning as well as intimidation and influencing of voters.

Tens of thousands of Tamil voters have cast their ballots early across the North-East amidst a ramped-up security presence and heightened tensions, as Sri Lanka’s presidential elections were underway on Saturday.

Tamil voters have reportedly begun stocking up on supplies and groceries, amidst fears of violence in the wake of a close election between the two leading candidates Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Sajith Premadasa.  

Unidentified gunmen fired shots and pelted stones at a bus carrying displaced Muslim voters as it travelled to Mannar on Saturday, despite the massive Sri Lankan security presence in place as Sri Lanka’s presidential elections began to get underway.

Angad Singh, journalist at Vice News, writes that Sri Lanka’s Easter Sunday bombings made Gotabaya Rajapaksa, an alleged war criminal, a front runner in the upcoming Presidential election. 

<p>An eminent group of Sinhala Buddhist monks issued a statement this week, calling on Sri Lankans to vote for a presidential candidate who will preserve the unitary status of the island and "defeat all forces that are attempting to divide this land".</p>

<p>At least 50 Sri Lankan officials deployed to a polling centre in Royal College, Colombo have been hospitalised due to food poisoning.</p> <p>Over 150,000 officials have been deployed to 12,600 polling booths and nearly 50 counting centres across the country.</p> <p>Approximately, 15.9 million eligible voters will take to the polls this Saturday.</p>

More than 60,000 Sri Lankan police officers have been deployed ahead of tomorrow’s presidential polls, as security is ramped up across the island.

A total of 60,175 police officers will be deployed, alongside 8,080 Civil Defence Force personnel.

Tens of thousands of Sri Lankan soldiers are already stationed across the Tamil North-East, which remains highly militarised since the end of the armed conflict more than a decade ago.

<p>In the southern province of Hambantota, a man has been arrested after 58 false ballot papers were found in his van.</p> <p>The man is a resident of Molakepu pathana in Tissamaharama.</p> <p>Police have told reporters that each ballot paper was found with a remark on the bottom that was meant for the awareness of the voter.</p> <p>Investigations into the matter are still ongoing.</p>

A former major fundraiser for the Obama campaign that was paid more than US$6.5 million by the Sri Lankan government to lobby US officials is now facing charges of tax evasion and failing to declare his work for Colombo.

Imaad Shah Zuberi is accused of violating the Foreign Agents Registration Act and making illegal campaign contributions, which included funnelling money in an attempt to influence US elections.

The former head of Sri Lanka’s army has predicted that attacks on Muslims will resume after Saturday’s presidential elections, in a stark warning last week.

 

Lasantha Wijeratne, a journalist and writer, was attacked on Thursday after he had published a book entitled “Wasteful Development and Corruption”, which was critical of Sri Lanka’s opposition candidate Gotabaya Rajapaksa.

No matter what the result of Sri Lanka’s presidential election this weekend, neither of the leading candidates will meet Tamil demands for equal rights and accountability, writes journalist J S Tissainayagam in an article for the Asian Correspondent on Friday.

Ahead of tomorrow’s polls, Tissainayagam says that “the choice for the Tamils is between an unsympathetic candidate and an apathetic candidate”.

The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) has slammed a report on Sri Lanka’s Hiru News, which alleges that there has been a legal case filed against the part for “attempted secession”, as “irresponsible journalism” and denied all such claims.

Nearly 300 activists, lawyers, academics, clergy, journalists and civil society organisations signed a statement condemning the ‘threats, harassment and reprisals’ against prominent human rights lawyer and senior lecturer at Jaffna University Kumaravadivel Guruparan.