The Elections Commission (EC) has announced a one-hour extension for the ongoing local elections, moving the deadline for queueing from 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM.

The decision affects the Local Council elections, the Women’s Development Committee (WDC) elections, and a public referendum currently taking place across the nation. Voting originally commenced at 8:00 AM this morning.

According to the EC, the extension was granted due to extreme weather conditions and long queues at various polling stations, which had caused significant delays for many citizens. Officials noted that the high temperatures during the day made it difficult for voters to stand in long lines.

Latest data released by the commission indicates a steady turnout. By 2:00 PM today, approximately 55.25% of eligible voters—totaling 131,947 individuals—had already cast their ballots. A total of 294,876 people are registered and eligible to vote in this year’s elections.