Sri Lanka poll: India denies 'baseless' influence reports

India has categorically denied media reports that New Delhi is making efforts at the political level to influence leaders in Sri Lanka regarding elections in the Parliament for the post of the Sri Lankan President.

"We have seen baseless and purely speculative media reports about efforts at the political level from India to influence political leaders in Sri Lanka regarding elections in the Sri Lankan Parliament to the post of the President of Sri Lanka," the Indian High Commission tweeted.

While denying the false media reports, India also reiterated that it supports the realization of aspirations of the people of Sri Lanka in accordance with democratic means and values.

"We categorically deny these media reports as completely false. They are clearly a figment of someone's imagination. It is reiterated that India supports the realization of aspirations of the people of Sri Lanka in accordance with democratic means and values, established institutions as well as constitutional provisions, and doesn't interfere in internal affairs and democratic processes of another country," it added.

This statement comes as voting for the election of the Sri Lankan President concluded today. All the Sri Lankan MPs voted through a secret ballot. MPs GG Ponnambalam and Selvaraj Kajendram were absent.

Acting Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe is among the top three candidates for the Presidential election in which 225 members of the House are eligible to vote and participate in the secret ballot. The other two candidates are SLPP parliamentarian Dullas Alahaperuma and National People's Power (NPP) leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake.

Sri Lanka's main opposition leader Sajith Premadasa on July 19 withdrew his candidature from the presidential race and said he is supporting rival candidate Dullas Alahapperuma for the top post.

(ANI)