Former Minister Eran Wickramaratne has raised concerns over the handling of the second-preference vote count, claiming that proper procedures were not followed.
According to Wickramaratne, the process should begin with the announcement of the total number of votes. If no candidate secures more than 50% of the vote, the counting centers should be sealed, and the situation communicated to the public. Only then should the seals be broken, and the second-preference votes counted in the presence of counting officers. He emphasized that this protocol was not adhered to during the recent count.
