Which finger gets marked when voting at this election

Voters will have their little finger of the left hand marked with an appropriate sign to prevent double voting and ensure transparency during the upcoming Local Government (LG) election, the National Election Commission has stated.

This directive has been issued as part of a broader strategy to streamline voter identification procedures across a series of national and local elections held in quick succession, including the Presidential Election in September 2024, the Elpitiya Pradeshiya Sabha election on October 26, 2024, and the Parliamentary Election on November 14, 2024.

In accordance with Section 53A(3) of the Local Government Elections Ordinance (262nd Authority), the Election Commission earlier mandated that voters at the Elpitiya Pradeshiya Sabha election would have their left thumb marked with a similar sign. For the Parliamentary Election, the procedure was adjusted to mark the left index finger, in order to minimize confusion due to overlapping election schedules.

Accordingly, in cases where the designated finger is unavailable—due to injury or other reasons—the mark will be applied to an alternative finger as deemed appropriate by polling officers