SLPP candidate and former Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa is currently the front-runner to become the seventh executive president of Sri Lanka.

From the results that have been released, Rajapaksa is leading the race with over 252,000 votes.

New Democratic Front candidate Sajith Premadasa has only managed to secure over 189,000 votes.

NPP candidate Anura Kumara Dissanayake has become a distant third with over 22,000 votes.

However, Premadasa has secured an overwhelming majority in the North and East provinces.