Sri Lanka Podujana Party General Secretary Sagara Kariyawasam today made a deposit on behalf of SLPP Presidential candidate Gotabhaya Rajapaksa for the Presidential election 2019.

Rajapaksa was the first candidate from a mainstream political party to make a deposit to contest the upcoming Presidential election.

Speaking to Asian Mirror, a close associate of Rajapaksa said although the SLPP candidate was initially planning to attend the event, he was held up due to a court hearing this morning.

"That is why the General Secretary of the party made a deposit, on behalf of the candidate," he added.

Deposits will be accepted by the Elections Secretariat until October 06.