The election of the new Diyawadana Nilame, the lay custodian of the Sacred Temple of the Tooth, will be held this afternoon at Kandy.

The Diyawadana Nilame is elected by a small electoral college for a period of ten years.

Chief Prelates of the Rajamaha Viharas in the territory of former Kandyan Kingdom and some government officials are entitled for the vote.

Nominations are not filed earlier and names will be proposed and seconded at the beginning of the election. However, four names have been surfaced as the possible candidates for Diyawadana Nilame. They are acting Diyawadana Nilame Nilanga Dela, former Diyawadana Nilame Neranjan Wijeratne, Basnayake Nilame of Natha Devalaya in Kandy Gayan Heenkenda and Rasika Sudantha Punchibandara, who has served in the capacity of Basnayake Nilame of several Devalas.