Some 1.6 million Sri Lankans living abroad will not be able to cast their votes in the 2024 Presidential Election, according to the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE).
The Bureau highlighted that these individuals, who are employed on contract, are unable to vote in the election as they are required to fulfil their job commitments in their respective countries on the day of the election.
The Bureau further noted that approximately 900,000 Sri Lankans are currently working in Middle Eastern countries alone. It emphasised that due to their contractual obligations with their employers, these workers were unable to return to Sri Lanka to cast their votes during the election period. This situation underscores the challenges faced by Sri Lankans working abroad in exercising their voting rights, particularly when bound by overseas employment contracts that prevent their return to the country for national elections.
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