A tense situation unfolded this afternoon (15) at the Kalutara election main operations office as special police protection was deployed to oversee a recount of preferential votes for candidates who contested under the gas cylinder symbol in the 2024 General Election.
The recount was requested due to discrepancies involving two prominent candidates from the same party, both vying for a seat under the New Democratic Front in Kalutara. The candidates in question, former ministers Rohitha Abeygunawardena and Rajitha Senaratne, were seen entering the operations office earlier today, accompanied by a significant number of their supporters who gathered outside.
The recount has drawn attention due to the high stakes, as the Kalutara District’s official results allocated 8 seats to the National People’s Power (NPP), 2 seats to the Samagi Jana Balavegaya (SJB), and 1 seat to the New Democratic Front (NDF).
The recount is expected to clarify which of the two former ministers secures the sole seat won by the NDF in Kalutara. With heightened tensions and a crowd of supporters on-site, authorities have taken extra measures to ensure the recount proceeds smoothly and without incident.
