Ruling UPFA wins Lanka provincial polls

Colombo, Feb.15 (ANI): The ruling United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA) in Sri Lanka has won the provincial elections held on Saturday.

According to results announced on Sunday, of the 40 polling divisions in the five districts in the Central and North Western provinces of the island-nation, the UPFA won 39.

The main opposition United National Party (UNP) won only in Kandy in Central Province.

Election officials said the early results showed that about 65 per cent of the 3.4 million voters in the two provinces had exercised their franchise.

In all, 1,370 candidates entered the fray for 56 seats in the Central Provincial Council, while 1,209 candidates contested 50 seats in the North Western Provincial Council. (ANI)