evidence: As the counting progressed, Anura Kumara Dissanayake is leading with more than 5.6 million votes securing 43.93 % of the votes while Sajith Premadasa is following closely with 4.3 million votes, securing 33. 98% of the votes. According to experts, Dissanayake, leader of the Marxist JVP's broader front, the National People's Power (NPP) is likely to secure more than 7 million votes, comfortably crossing the 50% mark. [...] After the first round of counting of votes, Election Commission Chairman RMAL Rathnayake said that Marxist leaning Anura Kumara Dissanayake and opposition leader Sajith Premadasa have secured maximum votes in the presidential election.