Sri Lanka starts presidential polling

COLOMBO, Jan. 8 (NsNewsWire) — Fifteen million voters in Sri Lanka head to the polls on Thursday to elect the country’s next president in what has been the closest fought race in a decade.

The two main contenders include incumbent President Mahinda Rajapaksa, who is seeking an unprecedented third term in power, and New Democratic Front (NDF) candidate Maithripala Sirisena, though 17 others are also in the fray, reports Xinhua.

Long lines of voters were observed as polling stations were opened.

In November, Minister Maithripala Sirisena crossed over as the opposition’s presidential candidate, throwing the race wide open. Sirisena has promised to promote good governance and trim the powers of the executive presidency