Over 70 per cent turnout was recorded in districts like Hambantota, Kandy, Vavuniya, Polonnaruwa, Mannar, Trincomalee, Kilinochchi, and Anuradhapura. Chairman of Sri Lanka Election Commission R M A L Ratnayake was quoted as saying by Daily Mirror that no incidents of violence were reported during the voting period.

Mr. Wickremesinghe, 75, a six-time former prime minister, is a political survivor. His elevation to the presidency in 2022, after the overthrow of Gotabaya Rajapaksa, plucked him out of irrelevance and demonstrated his formidable bargaining powers.