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Rivals vie for Sri Lankan votes Rivals vie for Sri Lankan votes
(about 3 hours later)
Sri Lankans have voted in the country's first presidential election since Tamil rebels were defeated after more than 25 years of civil war. Sri Lankans have voted in the country's first presidential election since Tamil Tiger rebels were defeated after more than 25 years of civil war.
Voting was generally peaceful amid tight security. There were minor blasts in the northern Tamil city of Jaffna. The day passed largely peacefully but there were several minor bomb blasts.
President Mahinda Rajapaksa faces a close contest against his main rival, former army chief Gen Sarath Fonseka. President Mahinda Rajapaksa faces a close contest against his bitter rival, former army chief Gen Sarath Fonseka.
The former allies became bitter enemies over who should take credit for the defeat of the separatist Tamil Tigers. The former allies fell out after the defeat of the rebels last year. Results are expected on Wednesday. Turnout was put at more than 60%.
Gen Fonseka subsequently decided to run for the presidency. BBC correspondents say with the ethnic Sinhalese vote split between the two men, Tamil and Muslim minorities could play a decisive part in the outcome.
BBC correspondents say with the ethnic Sinhalese vote split between the two men, the Tamil and Muslim minorities could play a decisive part in the outcome. If no candidate has 50% plus one vote after the first count, second preferences will be tallied and the candidate with the greatest number of votes wins.
More than 14m voters were eligible to vote in 11,000 centres. Polls were to close at 1600 local time (1030 GMT). 'Better tomorrow'
Counting would begin three hours later and the final results are expected to be announced on Wednesday morning, the election commission has said. After a violent and acrimonious campaign, many had feared the worst on election day.
There are 22 candidates standing for the presidency. If no candidate has 50% plus one vote after the first count, second preferences will be tallied and the candidate with the greatest number of votes wins.
At 1500 local time (0930 GMT) turnout was reported to be at about 60%, an independent monitoring body said.
'Remarkable victory'
About 250,000 Sri Lankan election officials moved into position throughout the country after collecting polling cards and ballot boxes from central election offices.
AT THE SCENE Ethirajan Anbarasan, BBC News, ColomboAT THE SCENE Ethirajan Anbarasan, BBC News, Colombo
Gun-wielding policemen were posted outside most polling stations while soldiers patrolled the streets. There were fears of poll-day violence. Gun-wielding policemen were posted outside most polling stations while soldiers patrolled the streets. There were fears of violence on polling day.
Elderly women, nuns and professionals waited in queue to cast their ballot. Sinhalese, Christians, Muslims and Tamils all came out to vote - reflecting the ethnic diversity of this island nation. Elderly women, nuns and professionals queued to cast their ballots. Sinhalese, Christians, Muslims and Tamils all came out to vote - reflecting the ethnic diversity of this island nation.
Some of the voters said this was a crucial election and that the country had to move on after the war. "We need to move forward, capitalise on whatever we have missed out on, and hopefully have a better future for all of us in Sri Lanka," said a businessman in Colombo.Some of the voters said this was a crucial election and that the country had to move on after the war. "We need to move forward, capitalise on whatever we have missed out on, and hopefully have a better future for all of us in Sri Lanka," said a businessman in Colombo.
Joy William, a poll monitor, said except for some stray incidents the polling had been peaceful and brisk so far. Joy William, a poll monitor, said except for some stray incidents polling had been peaceful and brisk. Soon Sri Lankan political leaders will know whether the voters have chosen continuity or change.
Polling centres have also been set up for people displaced by the war near the northern town of Vavuniya. The two-month-long campaign left four people dead and hundreds wounded. Nearly 68,000 police were deployed to protect polling stations.
One voter, Kandaswamy Wellarayanam, 73, walked 6km (3.7 miles) from a camp to a polling centre after buses meant to transport displaced voters failed to arrive. In the event, however, large numbers turned out to vote in a mostly peaceful atmosphere, says the BBC's Charles Haviland in Colombo.
"We walked to vote because we felt it was important after the war," he told AFP news agency. But there were serious exceptions, especially in the Tamil-populated north. In the city of Jaffna, the private Centre for Monitoring Election Violence said there were at least six explosions before and just after voting began.
"I was keen to have a say in who should be our next president. Later there were two blasts in Vavuniya, the town near the huge camps for people displaced by the war. The organisation said it feared this was a systematic attempt to scare people away from voting.
"We have not had free food and rations for two months and depend on odd jobs to survive." Reports from Jaffna suggested a low turnout there. Nonetheless, many displaced people did vote.
Security is tight amid fears of violence and more than 68,000 police are being deployed to protect the polling stations. There were also grenade attacks in the Sinhala-dominated centre and south. Here the fight between the two candidates has been especially bitter, our correspondent says.
Among the early voters was President Rajapaksa.Among the early voters was President Rajapaksa.
"Today's victory will be remarkable. It's been evident with voters across the nation participating towards our victory," the news agency Reuters quoted Mr Rajapaksa as saying after voting in Medamulana in his rural constituency on the southern coast.
"We expect a peaceful election and are getting ready to enjoy a better tomorrow."
Most voters say they are voting for peace and an improved economy.
"What I expect in the future is that in the same way peace was established, the cost of living will be brought down and the unemployment problem will be solved," Reuters quoted security guard Jayantha Perera as saying.
President Mahinda Rajapaksa casts his votePresident Mahinda Rajapaksa casts his vote
Both President Rajapaksa and Gen Fonseka have promised voters costly subsidies and public sector pay rises. "Today's victory will be remarkable... We are getting ready to enjoy a better tomorrow," he told the news agency Reuters after voting in his rural constituency on the south coast.
In an unexpected twist, it later turned out that Gen Fonseka had not been able to vote because his name was not on the register.
State television put out a barrage of propaganda saying he had no right to be president. But the Election Commission said there was no legal obstacle to the general assuming the post if he won.
"The government is trying to use this to mislead the public at the last minute," the general said.
Promises
About 14 million voters were eligible to choose between 22 candidates. The frontrunners by far are President Rajapaksa and Gen Fonseka.
I was keen to have a say in who should be our next president Kandaswamy Wellarayanam, Voter near Vavuniya In pictures: Sri Lanka votes Profile: Mahinda Rajapaksa Profile: Gen Sarath Fonseka
The two men were closely associated with the defeat of the Tamil Tigers last May but fell out soon after. Gen Fonseka quit the military, complaining that he had been sidelined after the war.
The president's side accuses the general of courting separatists. The general has accused the president of plotting vote-rigging and violence, something his rival denies.
Most voters say they are voting for peace and an improved economy.
"We walked to vote because we felt it was important after the war," one man from a camp near Vavuniya told AFP news agency.
"We have not had free food and rations for two months and depend on odd jobs to survive."
Both main candidates have promised voters costly subsidies and public sector pay rises.
However, economists say this will make it hard for the country to meet cost-cutting obligations imposed under the terms of a $2.6bn (£1.6bn) International Monetary Fund loan.However, economists say this will make it hard for the country to meet cost-cutting obligations imposed under the terms of a $2.6bn (£1.6bn) International Monetary Fund loan.
Acrimonious campaign
Hours before the polling booths opened at dawn, people in Jaffna reported hearing up to four blasts.
A monitoring group said two bombs were thrown at a ruling party organiser while another account said an opposition MP's home and two polling booths had been targeted.
Police in Jaffna told the BBC they had no information of any trouble.
We had in this election I think a scale of abuse of state resources which had not been registered before Dr Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu, Centre for Monitoring Election Violence In pictures: Sri Lanka votes Profile: Mahinda Rajapaksa Profile: Gen Sarath Fonseka
The two-month-long campaign, often marked by acrimony, officially closed on Saturday.
Election clashes have so far left four dead and hundreds wounded.
"We had in this election I think a scale of abuse of state resources which had not been registered before," Reuters quoted Dr Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu, co-convenor of the Centre for Monitoring Election Violence, as saying.
But he added: "If enough Sri Lankan citizens go in large numbers as we have always done in the past and for over six decades... resisting the violence and the intimidation... then we may well get a result that at the end of the day reflects overall the wishes of the people of this country."
On Sunday, President Rajapaksa suffered a blow when former President Chandrika Kumaratunga said she was backing his rival.
Mrs Kumaratunga, a senior member of Mr Rajapaksa's Sri Lanka Freedom Party, said she was deeply concerned about violence, intimidation and corruption in the fiercely-contested poll.
President Rajapaksa and Gen Fonseka were closely associated with the government's defeat of the Tamil Tigers last May but the pair fell out bitterly soon after.
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