Sri Lanka holds a snap election on Thursday which will determine if the South Asian island nation wants to empower its new, leftist President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to push his anti-poverty policies as it recovers from a financial meltdown.

Sri Lankans are heading to the polls today for a crucial parliamentary election that will determine the future political landscape of the island nation. This election is pivotal for President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and his National People’s Power (NPP) party,

As many as 196 members are to be elected from the 22 districts based on the proportional representation system while 29 would be elected from the cumulative votes polled national list to provide a 225-member Parliament for a five-year term.