Nomination Process for General Election Concludes: 74 Submissions Rejected

COLOMBO (News 1st) - The deadline for submitting nominations for the upcoming general election concluded at noon on Friday (11).

Commissioner General of Elections Saman Sri Ratnayake said that a total of 764 nomination papers were received, with 74 submissions rejected. This means that 690 groups will be contesting in 22 electoral districts across the country.

District returning officers conducted the necessary procedures today to allocate symbols to the independent groups involved. The rejected nominations were dismissed in accordance with Section 15 of the Parliamentary Elections Act No. 1 of 1981, which specifies that nominations not duly submitted are subject to rejection. The reasons for these rejections are based on seven clear criteria outlined in the Act.

Candidates whose nominations have been rejected have the right to appeal to the Supreme Court regarding their dismissal. Ratnayake emphasized that the Election Commission operates as an executive authority, executing its responsibilities in compliance with Act No. 1 of 1981. He said that any party believing the Election Commission has acted contrary to the law may pursue legal recourse.

"This reflects a hallmark of a civil society—essentially, a developed society," Ratnayake said. "We are implementing a law that has been sanctioned by the public through a constitutional framework."

In the Digamadulla electoral district, the largest political party and the highest number of independent groups contesting will total 64. For Digamadulla, 72 groups submitted nominations, with 8 being rejected. Significant competition is also expected in the Polonnaruwa and Monaragala districts, where 15 political parties and independent groups will vie for electoral success.

In the coming days, symbols will be allocated to the candidates from each political party. This allocation will occur after the relevant documents prepared by district returning officers are received at the main office. The Election Commission will carry out the allocation of numbers in the following week.