Sri Lankans have began voting in a tightly fought presidential election. Incumbent Mahinda Rajapakse is seeking an unprecedented third term.
Polling booths opened across the country at 7 a.m. local time. More than 14.5 million Sri Lankans are eligible to cast their votes. Rajapakse and New Democratic Front candidate Maithripala Sirisena, are the main contenders, though 17 others are also in the fray.
The Elections Department has deployed 71,000 policemen to ensure security. Voting will continue for nine hours, and a result is expected in the early hours of Friday.