By Rathindra Kuruwita

The accepting of nominations for the 2024 General Election, which began on October 4, concluded at noon on Friday, October 11 and Commissioner General of Elections Saman Sri Ratnayake confirmed that nominations were received at the District Secretaries’ offices across 22 electoral districts.

Notably, registered political parties were exempt from deposit requirements for contesting in the elections. However, independent groups were required to submit a deposit of Rs. 2,000 per candidate. By October 10, a total of 147 political parties and 104 independent groups had submitted their nominations.

The upcoming poll will see the election of 225 Members of Parliament, with 196 members chosen from the 22 electoral districts and 29 appointed via the national list based on the votes each party or group secures.

The JVP led NPP on Friday released its list of candidates nominated as national list members of parliament (National List MPs) for the 2024 General Election.

The full 29-member list: Bimal Rathnayake, Professor Wasantha Subasinghe, Dr. Anura Karunathilake, Professor Upali Pannilage, Eranga Udesh Weeraratne, Ret Maj Gen Aruna Jayasekara, Dr. Harshana Suriyapperuma,

Janitha Ruwan Kodituwakku, Punya Sri Kumara Jayakody, Ramalingam K. Chandrasekar, Dr. Najith Indika, Sugath Thilakaratne, Lakmali Hemachandra – Attorney-at-Law, Sunil Kumara Gamage, Gamini Rathnayake , Professor Ruwan Chaminda Ranasinghe, Sugath Wasantha De Silva, Keerthi Welisarage, Chamila Kumudu Peiris, Abdul Fatha Mohamed Ikram, Ranjan Jayalal Perera, Mohamed Nazeer Ikram, Martin Nelson, Romesh Mohan De Mel, Benita Prishanthi Hettithanthri, Pubudu Nuwan Samaraweera, Sarath Lal Perera, Anura Hettigoda Gamage and Hemathilaka Gamage.

Main opposition SJB’s 29-member national list has been officially handed over on Friday by Party Chairman Imthiaz Bakeer Markar and General Secretary Ranjith Madduma Bandara. The list contains the names of Ranjith Maddumabandara, Imthiaz Bakeer Markar, Dullas Alahpperuma, Sagaran Vijayandiran, Nizam Kariapper, Sujeeva Senasinghe, G L Peiris, Sudarshini Fernnadopulle, Upul Jayasuriya, Mahim Mendis, Upul Bandara Dissanayake, Rohana Lakshman Piyadasa, Lihini Fernando, Ravindra Samarweera, Athulasiri Samarakone, Kennedy Degaulle Gunewardena, Lalith Prasanna Perera, Vishaka Kamalee Suriyabandara, Mahesh Senanayake, Ravi Jayawardena, Thisath Devapriya Bandara Wijegunawardena, Lankeshwarage Mitrapala, Palanivelu Parameshwaran, Balakrishnan Sivanasan, Ganapathy Nagulesvaran, Chandima Wijegunewardena, Mohamed Hasim Mohamed Roomy, Muhammadu Ismail Muttu Muhammadu and Indika Bandaranayake.

The SLPP on Friday released its list of candidates nominated as national list members of parliament (National List MPs) for the 2024 General Election. The full 29-member list is as follows: Namal Rajapaksa, Gamini Lokuge, C. B. Ratnayake, Ven.Uthurawala Dhammarathana Thero, Tissa Vitharana, Jayantha Ketagoda, Sagara Kariyawasam, Thisakutti Arachchi , Ven. Tebuwana Piyananda Thero Tebuwana, Muhammad Fadil Marjan Asmi, Renuka Perera, Wimal Geegange, W. Dayarathna, Anusha Damayanthi, Jagath Wellawatta, Wasantha Handapangoda, Viraj Perera, Athula Priyadarshana De Silva , Manjula Wellalage, Ravihara Kulathunga, Damith Hettihewa, Ranjith Bandara, Vidura Perera, Pasan Kasthuri Fernando, Sarath Keerthirathna, Sudath Rohana, Mahinda Pathirana, Rathna Dharmapriya Daya Pathirana and Samantha Indika.

The New Democratic Front (Gas Cylinder) on Friday released its national list, featuring several prominent political figures. Former Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena tops the list, solidifying his key position within the party. Former Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena has also been named, along with former minister Tiran Alles and Ravi Karunanayake. The full list Dinesh Gunawardena, Shyamila Perera, Mohamed Faizer Mustapha, Tiran Alas, Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena, Jayantha Weerasinghe, Sendhil Thondaman, Suren Raghavan, Ronald Chithranjan Perera, Ravi Karunanayake, Thalatha Athukorala, Kanishka Suranimala Rajapaksha, Muhammed Mustapha Anwar, Nissanka Nanayakkara, Sagala Abeywickrama, Siripala Amarasinghe, Veerakumara Dissanayake, Rashdan Rahuman, Nimalka Fernando, Damayanthi Jayasekara, Newton Peiris, Leslie Devendra, Mahinda Senarath Bandara, Adambawwa Uthuma Lebbe, Mohamed Musammil, Wellalage Bandula, Sirimasiri Hapuaarachchi, Piumi Senarath Samarathunga and Keerthi Sri Weerasinghe.