Sri Lanka held snap parliamentary elections on 14 November, following left-leaning leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s presidential win in October. Dissanayake’s National People’s Power coalition secured a historic super majority in parliament with 159 out of 225 seats (70.6 per cent). This marks the most decisive victory achieved by a Sri Lankan political party since the introduction of the proportional representation system in 1978. Voter turnout was approximately 68.9 per cent, down from 75.9 per cent in the 2020 election. The number of women in parliament increased from 12 (5.3 per cent) to 21 (9.3 per cent). Election observers noted that the election was peaceful and effectively managed by the Election Commission.

Sources: Election Commission of Sri Lanka, International IDEA, ANFREL, The Diplomat 

The parliamentary election held on 14 November saw a record 21 (9.3 per cent) women elected to parliament. This marks an increase from 12 women (5.4 per cent) elected in the 2020 election.  

Sources: ANFREL, The Sunday Times

Anura Kumara Dissanayake of the National People’s Power (NPP) alliance won the presidential election held on 21 September, securing 42.3 per cent of the vote. A record 38 contenders took part in the initial presidential race, with no female candidates. The election was widely seen as a three-way contest between Dissanayake, incumbent President Ranil Wickremesinghe and opposition leader Sajith Premadasa. Voter turnout was approximately 79.5 per cent, a slight decrease from 83.7 per cent in the 2019 election. Election observers noted that the election was peaceful and well-organized, despite some concerns regarding the misuse of state resources, enforcement of campaign finance law, and voter education. Dissanayake was sworn in as president on 23 September, after which he dissolved parliament to make way for a snap general election on 14 November 2024. The president also appointed his ally, Harini Amarasuriya as prime minister, marking the third woman to hold this position in Sri Lanka’s history.

Sources: Election Commission of Sri Lanka, The Commonwealth, BBC News, The New York Times, ANFREL

On 22 August, the Supreme Court ruled that the Election Commission and President's postponement of local government elections, initially scheduled for March 2023, violated voters' fundamental rights. The Court ordered an immediate rescheduling after the upcoming presidential vote on 21 September. The Local Government Elections were initially postponed from 9 March to April before being postponed indefinitely, with the government citing a lack of funds due to the economic crisis. The Election Commission responded to the ruling, stating it will schedule the local election as soon as possible.  

Sources: International IDEA, Daily FT, Centre for Policy Alternatives, Supreme Court Sri Lanka, The Morning 

On 24 July, Sri Lanka’s Supreme Court (SC) issued an interim order preventing Deshabandu Thennakoon, who took office in December 2023, from serving as Inspector General of the Sri Lanka Police (IGP) until nine fundamental rights petitions against him are resolved. The petitioners, including the Center for Policy Alternatives and the Young Journalists Association, argued that Thennakoon’s February appointment by the President was unconstitutional and that Thennakoon was unsuitable for the role given a prior SC determination linking Thennakoon to torture and other acts of wrongdoing. The SC suggested an acting IGP appointment be made, but the government has yet to comply, arguing that the Court lacks the authority to challenge presidential appointments. Legal experts condemned this stance as undermining the rule of law. The hearings against Tennekoon have been set for 11 November, and it remains to be seen when an acting IGP will be named, adding a layer of uncertainty to the conduct of the 21 September election.

Sources:  Daily Financial Times, Economy Next, ANFREL