Harmful speech increased by 113% in November 2024, coinciding with the Sri Lankan Parliamentary Election held on 14 November, the UN in Sri Lanka said. 

Publishing its latest Bulletin on Harmful Speech in Sri Lanka, the UN in Sri Lanka said it has observed an 8-fold rise in hate speech targeting ethnic and/or religious minorities following the declaration of results of the presidential election in September 2024.

It has also observed a 159% surge in gender-based harmful speech, with 45% of the harmful content in 2024 targeting women.

The UN in Sri Lanka further said that, however, a decline in harmful speech overall (year-on-year) was reported in the first 8 months of 2024. 

The latest bulletin on harmful speech in Sri Lanka details these trends & the recent changes to social media policies that may impact online safety.

Per the trends from the latest bulletin, harmful speech increased by 21% month-on-month from 120 posts in August 2024 to 145 posts in September
2024.

This increase was mainly caused by an 8-fold rise in hate speech targeting ethnic and/or religious minorities that followed the declaration of results of the presidential election on 21 September.

Post-election harmful content included derogatory references to minority communities in the Northern and Eastern provinces, as well as the estate sector, in response to their voting preferences. 

While marking a 15% month-on-month decrease, disinformation remained elevated in September.

According to the UN Special Rapporteur on Minority Issues, 70% of social media hate victims globally are minorities. 

In Sri Lanka according to UN data, 51% of harmful speech online last year targeted women and 24% minorities.

Through collaboration with tech companies and active efforts of local organizations, targeted online campaigns against minorities have decreased since 2021 — an encouraging trend. 

However, anti-Christian, anti-Muslim and anti-Hindu sentiments persist alongside harmful speech targeting women, especially those occupying public functions or those speaking up publicly. 

Furthermore, events such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Gaza have led to spikes in harmful speech online targeting specific communities, notably Muslims, according to the UN Special Rapporteur on Minority Issues. 

Full report: https://srilanka.un.org/en/280126-countering-harmful-speech (Newswire)

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The Acting IGP has instructed all relevant police officers to prepare excerpts on candidates and independent groups that had failed to declare campaign financing for the 2024 Parliamentary Election.

Accordingly, Police officers have been instructed to commence investigations against candidates falling under their relevant areas.

Details provided by the Election Commission to the Police state a total of 1,042 candidates and 197 party Secretaries and Leaders of Independent Groups who contested the General Election 2024 have failed to declare campaign financing.

The Acting IGP has instructed Police officials to conduct investigations into them and submit the reports for the Attorney General’s advice. (Newswire) 

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The National Election Commission has issued a breakdown of the income and expense reports related to the 2024 Parliamentary Election that have been handed over as of the deadline ending on 06 December 2024.

According to the Election Commission, a total of 7412 income and expense reports have been handed over from among 8361 candidates from all political parties who contested the election.

Meanwhile, 493 income and expense reports have been handed over from among 690 candidates from independent political groups that had contested. 

From the 527 named national list members, only 434 individuals have handed in their income and expense reports. (Newswire)

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According to the all-island cumulative results, the seats include 141 elected members of Parliament and 18 being appointed via the NPP’s National List. 

The Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), follows second after securing 40 seats, out of which 35 are elected members and five (05) are to be appointed via the National List. 

The Illankai Tamil Arasu Katchi (ITAK) comes in third after securing 08 seats, from which seven (07) are elected members and one is a National List seat.

The New Democratic Front (NDF) has secured five (05) seats, out of which three are elected members and two are National List appointments.

The Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) has received a total of 350,429 votes managing to secure three (03) seats out of which two (02) are elected members and one is a National List appointment.

The Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC), Sarvajana Balaya, and United National Party (UNP) have also secured seats in the 10th Parliament of Sri Lanka. (Newswire)

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President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has extended gratitude to his supporters who voted in the 2024 Parliamentary Election, via a statement on ‘X’. 

“පුනරුද යුගය ඇරඹීමට උරදුන් සැමට ස්තූතියි! மறுமலர்ச்சி யுகத்தை ஆரம்பிக்க‌ தோள் கொடுத்த அனைவருக்கும் நன்றி! Thank you to all who voted for a renaissance!” the President said. 

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s National Peoples’ Power (NPP) gained a majority in Parliament, claiming 141 seats, excluding the National List. (Newswire)

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President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s National Peoples’ Power (NPP) confirms that the party has obtained a 2/3rds majority in the Parliament of Sri Lanka. 

A senior NPP member told Newswire that the party is likely to get more than 150 seats in Parliament, which is the first time in Sri Lanka that a single party has achieved this feat under the Proportional Representation System.

With the final results of 18 districts being released so far, the NPP has secured 94 seats. (Newswire)

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The National Election Commission has so far issued the final results of eighteen (18) districts in the 2024 General Election. 

Following are the final results of the 18 districts: 

• Kandy District –

• Jaffna District-

• Puttalam District –

• Ratnapura District –

• Kurunegala District –

• Kegalle District –

• Anuradhapura District –

• Vanni District –

• Kalutara District –

• Nuwara Eliya District- 

Matale 

• Trincomalee District –

• Polonnaruwa District – 

• Monaragala District –

• Matara District –

• Hambantota District –

• Badulla District – 

• Galle District- 

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Former Minister Johnston Fernando, who first entered Parliament in 2000 and served for over two decades, is left without a Parliamentary seat for the first time in 24 years.

As per the final results of the Kurunegala District, the National People’s Power (NPP) dominated by securing over 650,000 votes.

Meanwhile, Johnston Fernando’s Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) only managed to secure 35, 236 votes in the General Election, failing to secure a seat. 

Several former ministers and other politicians have also failed to secure seats in the Tenth Parliament of Sri Lanka. They are;

1. Former Agriculture Minister Mahinda Amaraweera – Hambantota  
2. Former Minister Ramesh Pathirana – Galle
3. Former Minister Manusha Nanayakkara – Galle
4. Former Power & Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekera – Matara
5. Former Minister Roshan Ranasinghe – Kalutara District
6. Former Minister S. M. Chandrasena – Anuradhapura
7. Former Minister Duminda Dissanayake – Anuradhapura
8. Former Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi – Ratnapura
9. Former state minister Ranjith Siyambalapitiya – Kegalle
10. Former state minister Premitha Bandara Tennakoon – Matale 
11. Former state minister Rohana Dissanayaka – Matale
12. Shasheendra Rajapaksa – Monaragala
13. Nipuna Ranawaka – Matara
14. Daham Sirisena – Polonnaruwa District
15. Former Sri Lanka cricket Captain T. M. Dilshan – Kalutara (Newswire)

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Several former ministers have failed to secure a seat in Parliament following the 2024 General Election.

Former Agriculture Minister Mahinda Amaraweera is out of Parliament as his party fell short of securing a seat in Hambantota.

Former Ministers Ramesh Pathirana and Manusha Nanayakkara are also out of Parliament as their party failed to secure a seat in Galle.

Kanchana Wijesekera, who served as Power and Energy Minister in the previous government, has failed to retain his seat in Parliament.

Rajapaksa scion and former state minister Shasheendra Rajapaksa is out of the Parliamentary race.

Nipuna Ranawaka, a Rajapaksa family relative and the candidate with the highest votes in the 2020 Parliamentary election, has failed to secure a seat this time.

Meanwhile, Daham Sirisena, the son of former President Maithripala Sirisena, who contested from the Saravajana Balaya Party in the Polonnaruwa District has also failed to secure a seat in Parliament.

As of 05.00 am, the National People’s Power (NPP) leads with 22 seats, followed by the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) with 04 seats and the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) with 2 seats.

For more details on the general election visit https://election.newswire.lk (Newswire)

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Former Agriculture Minister Mahinda Amaraweera is out of Parliament as his party falls short of securing a seat in Hambantota

Former Ministers Ramesh Pathirana and Manusha Nanayakkara are out from Parliament as their party fail to secure a seat in Galle.

First district results: In Galle, the NPP secures the lead with 7 seats, while the SJB and the SLPP each claim 1 seat.

Second district result: In Hambantota, the NPP secures 5 seats, with the SJB and the SLPP each claiming 1 seat.

The National People’s Power (NPP) has dominated the Jaffna polling division securing over 9000 votes in the 2024 General Election. 

The NPP secured 9,066 votes defeating the Illangai Tamil Arasu Katchi (ITAK) which only managed 2,582 votes. 

The Vanni District was also dominated by the NPP, which secured 4,371 postal votes, while the ITAK only obtained 2,349 votes. (Newswire)

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Incidents of election law violations have been reported from 20 districts during the 2024 Parliamentary Election held today, the Police said.

Police Spokesman DIG Nihal Thalduwa said a total of 51 persons, including two election candidates, have been arrested for election law violations.

Addressing the media, he said that the highest number of arrests are related to illegal propaganda, while other violations include the distribution of leaflets and assault. (Newswire)

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Voting for the 2024 General Election has officially concluded. 

Voting got underway at 13,421 polling centres across the country from 07.00 am to 04.00 pm today

The 2024 General Election was held to elect Members of Parliament for the Tenth Parliament of Sri Lanka.

Through this election, a total of 225 Members of Parliament will be elected, comprising 196 members elected by public vote and 29 members entering through the National List.

The inaugural session of the Tenth Parliament of Sri Lanka is scheduled to commence at 10.00 am on 21 November 2024. (Newswire)

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The National Election Commission has requested all media platforms to refrain from issuing unofficial election results before the official announcements are made by the commission.

Issuing a statement, the Election Commission urged to adhere to the Gazette notification issued on 25 September on media guidelines for election coverage.

All print, broadcasting, and digital media, as well as social media users, have been urged to adhere to the Gazette. (Newswire)

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A Police officer and two civil officials who were deployed on election duty have been reported dead due to sudden illnesses, Sri Lanka Police said. 

Addressing a special media briefing today, Police Spokesman DIG Nihal Thalduwa said that the officers had fallen ill while on election duty at various areas this morning.

He further said they are reported to have died due to natural causes, such as a heart attack. 

A 33-year-old Police Officer deployed at a school in the Urumpirai area in Kopai has died and it is suspected he may have died due to a heart attack.

A 48-year-old woman who had been appointed as the Polling Station Chief of the Siri Sadhaham Bhikshu Aramaye in the Kesbewa area had also died after suddenly falling ill while on duty.

The Police Spokesman said the woman, a resident of Payagala, had died after being admitted to the Piliyandala Hospital.

He further said that a 57-year-old man attached to the polling centre staff of the Kobeigane area had also died after suddenly falling ill while on election duty.

DIG Thalduwa added that post-mortem examinations into the deaths will be conducted, while it is suspected that all three officials may have died due to heart attacks. (Newswire)

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Voting is underway for the 2024 Parliamentary Election at 13,421 polling centres across the country.

According to Returning Officers, the voter turnout as of 10.00 am is as follows;

Colombo – 20%

Kandy – 25%

Nuwara Eliya – 20%

Puttalam – 22%

Kalutara – 20%

Batticaloa – 15%

Digamadulla – 18%

Badulla – 21%

Kegalle – 20%:

Ratnapura – 23%

Polonnaruwa – 22%

Kurunegala – 22%

Matara – 10%

Jaffna – 16%

Trincomalee – 23%:

Vanni – 24.5%

Anuradhapura – 25%

Monaragala – 23%

Matale – 24%

Gampaha – 20%

Galle -19% (Newswire)

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04.08 pm –

Voting for the 2024 General Election has officially concluded. 

Voting got underway at 13,421 polling centres across the country from 07.00 am to 04.00 pm today

The 2024 General Election was held to elect Members of Parliament for the Tenth Parliament of Sri Lanka.

Through this election, a total of 225 Members of Parliament will be elected, comprising 196 members elected by public vote and 29 members entering through the National List.

The inaugural session of the Tenth Parliament of Sri Lanka is scheduled to commence at 10.00 am on 21 November 2024. 

03.36 pm –

The Election Commission has requested all print, broadcasting, and digital media, as well as social media users, to refrain from issuing unofficial election results before the official announcements are made by the commission.

03.07 pm –

According to Returning Officers, the voter turnout as of 02.00 pm is as follows;

Gampaha – 52%

Kalutara – 45%

Nuwara Eliya – 55% 

Trincomalee – 51%

Jaffna – 42%

Kegalle – 50%

Ratnapura – 55%

Badulla – 51%

Hambantota – 47%

Matara – 47%

Monaragala – 46%

Kilinochchi – 47%

Mannar – 55%

Batticaloa – 47%

Kurunegala -52%

Digamadulla – 40%

Kandy – 47%

Matale – 55%

Polonnaruwa -51%

Puttalam – 41%

Galle – 49% 

01.02 pm-

A Police officer and two civil officials who were deployed on election duty have been reported dead due to sudden illnesses, Sri Lanka Police said. 

Addressing a special media briefing today, Police Spokesman DIG Nihal Thalduwa said that the officers had fallen ill while on election duty at various areas this morning and they are reported to have died due to natural causes, such as a heart attack. 

A 33-year-old Police Officer deployed at a school in the Urumpirai area in Kopai has died and it is suspected he may have died due to a heart attack.

A 48-year-old woman who had been appointed as the Polling Station Chief of the Siri Sadhaham Bhikshu Aramaye in the Kesbewa area had also died after suddenly falling ill while on duty.

A 57-year-old man attached to the polling centre staff of the Kobeigane area had also died after suddenly falling ill while on election duty, DIG Thalduwa said.

10.57 am –

Voting is underway for the 2024 Parliamentary Election at 13,421 polling centres across the country.

According to Returning Officers, the voter turnout as of 10.00 am is as follows;

Colombo – 20%

Kandy – 25%

Nuwara Eliya – 20%

Puttalam – 22%

Kalutara – 20%

Batticaloa – 15%

Digamadulla – 18%

Badulla – 21%

Kegalle – 20%:

Ratnapura – 23%

Polonnaruwa – 22%

Kurunegala – 22%

Matara – 10%

Jaffna – 16%

Trincomalee – 23%:

Vanni – 24.5%

Anuradhapura – 25%

Monaragala – 23%

Matale – 24%

Gampaha – 20%

Galle -19%

07.00 am –

Voting for the 2024 General Election commenced at 07.00 am today. 

Polling will occur in 13,421 voting centres across the country until 04.00 pm today. 

Voters are advised to carry their National Identity Cards (NIC) issued by the Department for Registration of Persons to be eligible to cast their vote.

Those without a NIC can use a valid passport, a valid driving license, the pensioners Identity Card issued by the Department of Pensions, the Elders’ Identity Card issued by the Divisional Secretariat, the Bikkhu or Priest Identity Card issued by the Department of Registration of Persons, a letter issued by the Department of Registration of Persons confirming the particular of the National Identity Card, temporary Identity Card issued by the Election Commission, or temporary Identity Card issued to disabled persons by the Election Commission. (Newswire)

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All private-sector companies have been informed that it is mandatory to grant leave for employees to cast their votes in the 2024 General Election which will be held tomorrow. 

They have been informed via a circular issued by the Ministry of Justice, Public Administration, Home Affairs, Provincial Councils, Local Government, and Labour. 

As per the circular, all private companies must grant leave for employees, who have made a written request, to cast their votes with the leave being considered special leave with pay.

The period of leave is to be decided based on the distance the employee is required to travel. 

Private companies are warned that any violation will result in legal action for failure to comply with the regulations. 

The 2024 Parliamentary Election will be held from 07.00 am to 04.00 pm tomorrow (14 Nov). (Newswire)

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The distribution of ballot boxes and stationery items for the 2024 General Election will be carried out today, the National Election Commission said.

Commissioner General of Elections, Saman Sri Ratanayake said the distribution will take place from 07.00 am to 04.00 pm today.

He further said that the ballot boxes and stationery items will be distributed to 13,314 polling centres.

Saman Sri Ratanayake revealed that with the assistance of the election office, a rehearsal will also be conducted today on how the election should be conducted. 

Meanwhile, Police Spokesman DIG Nihal Thalduwa says 64,000 Police officials will be deployed on election duty.

He further said that the Police officials will be deployed covering all polling stations across the nation. (Newswire)

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The National Election Commission has received a total of 490 complaints related to election law violations via social media within the month from October 11, 2024 to November 11, 2024. 

Issuing a statement, the Election Commission said after being informed social media companies had removed links and content related to 184 complaints.

However, social media companies have refused to remove links or content related to 87 complaints. 

The Election Commission said that social media companies are yet to review content related to 219 complaints. 

The complaints are on content related to hate speech, defamatory statements against race and religion, the use of children for election campaigning, and misinformation. (Newswire)

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The public can verify details related to their preferred candidate and political parties contesting the 2024 General Election, via the Gazette notification issued by the Election Commission in this regard.

In October, the Election Commission issued a Gazette notification consisting of candidates, political parties, party symbols, and preferential numbers related to the General Election, scheduled for 14 November.

Details can be verified by visiting http://ads.newswire.lk/gazette/11-oct-2024/2405-50_E.pdf (Newswire)

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