Sri Lanka Heads To Polls For Presidential Election

COLOMBO, SRI LANKA - SEPTEMBER 20: An armed police officer patrols as Sri Lankan polling staff distribute ballot boxes and polling documents to the voting centers on September 20, 2024 in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka is gearing up for its presidential election on September 21, a pivotal moment that will determine the nation's political direction following the economic turmoil of 2022 that led to widespread protests and the ousting of former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. With incumbent Ranil Wickremesinghe facing significant competition from opposition leaders Sajith Premadasa and Anura Kumara Dissanayake, the election is seen as a referendum on Wickremesinghe's controversial tenure marked by austerity measures and efforts to stabilize the economy. (Footage by Buddhika Weerasinghe/Getty Images)