The Elections Commission declared Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) presidential candidate, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, as the new President. 

Elections Commission Chairman, Mahinda Deshapriya, formally announced that Gotabaya was the winner of the 2019 Sri Lankan Presidential election. Gotabaya secured 52% of the vote with a total of 6,924,255 votes. The SLPP said that Gotabaya will take his oaths tomorrow in Anuradhapura. 

<p>Narendra Modi, President of India congratulated Gotabaya Rajapaksa on his victory in the Sri Lankan presidential elections.&nbsp;</p> <p>In his tweet, Modi wrote:</p> <blockquote><p> "I look forward to working closely with you for deepening the close and fraternal ties between our two countries and citizens, and for peace, prosperity as well as security in our region." </p></blockquote>

<p>Sajith Premadasa has resigned as deputy leader of the United National Party (UNP) following his defeat in the Sri Lankan presidential election.&nbsp;</p> <p>In his&nbsp;statement, Sajith congratulated Gotabaya Rajapaksa "on his election as the seventh President of Sri Lanka" and urged him to "ensure that the post-election environment is peaceful, and that no citizen or New Democratic Front (NDF) party supporter is persecuted or harmed for their role in supporting" Sajith's candidacy.&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p>

Sri Lanka’s former defence secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa has claimed victory in Saturday’s presidential election, according to early reports.

As counting continues across the island, with many districts still to release their results, Rajapaksa reportedly released a statement asking his supporters “to celebrate the victory peacefully”.

See more from the BBC’s Azzam Ameem here.

 

Update: 03:30 GMT - Jaffna

As votes continue to be counted across the island, Sri Lanka's former defence secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa seems to have taken an early lead against Sajith Premadasa, despite a large turnout in the Tamil North-East.

Results in Tamil districts so far show an overwhelming vote for Sajith Premadasa. 

However, in the Sinhala south, Rajapaksa has won over key districts, with many regions still to be declared.

Votes are still being counted with results expected throughout the day.

Update: 03:00 GMT 

British Tamils rallied in solidarity with Tamil families of the disappeared across the North-East as they mark 1000 days in their roadside protest. 

The rally, held outside Downing Street, saw British Tamils gather, chanting slogans and holding placards denouncing the Sri Lankan government’s inaction and broken promises.

 

<p><img alt src="/sites/default/files/images/icons/WhatsApp Image 2019-11-15 at 15.18.25.jpeg"></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>In a joint statement the Australian Tamil Congress, British Tamil Forum, Canadian Tamil Congress, and US Tamil Action Group have called upon the international community to launch a “special independent investigation” to support the families of the disappeared, who have continued their protest for 1000 consecutive days.</p>

<p>Ruwan Gunasekara, a spokesman for the Sri Lankan police have reported that 26 people have been arrested for violating election laws during the voting period.</p> <p>Gunasekara claims that this has been a relatively peaceful election and reports that;</p> <blockquote><p> “Among the arrested, eight were nabbed for taking photos of the ballot papers while 18 were arrested for roaming near polling centers". </p></blockquote>

<p>Senior Deputy Inspector General of Police, Ravi Seneviratne, has instructed the army remove roadblocks to allow Tamils to access polling stations; this request was initially denied.</p> <p>Eventually the army was forced to abide by the Electoral Commissioner demands, however TNA MP, M.A. Sumanthiran has told Daily Mirror that people in the north were familiar with roadblocks and that this would not hinder them.</p> <p>Speaking to the Daily Mirror, he told reporters;</p> <blockquote><p>

The international human rights organisation Front Line Defenders has issued an urgent appeal against the targeting of human rights lawyer and head of law at Jaffna University, Dr Kumaravadivel Guruparan.

Last week Guruparan was barred from practising as a lawyer by the Sri Lankan University Grants Commission (UGC) at the instigation of the Sri Lankan military. The move is seen as a direct reprisal for his representation of victims in the Navatkuli Habeas Corpus case, related to the disappearance of 24 Tamil youths from military custody in 1996.