Two research sharing sessions were conducted in Anuradhapura and Batticaloa under NPC’s Active Citizens for Elections and Democracy (ACED) project. Project Manager Ben Perinpanayagam said that the goal of the research was to empower people to make informed decisions and encouraged participants to understand the new findings and contribute meaningfully to the decision making processes within their communities. He urged them to identify and focus on areas requiring concentrated efforts from both civil society and the government.

The sessions were facilitated by Ms. Crishni Silva, a senior lecturer from the Department of Political Science and Public Policy at the University of Colombo and one of the two lead researchers behind the study on factors influencing voter preferences in elections, presented the research methodology, highlighting how validate the data collected and interpret the findings accurately.

Participants saw how closely the research findings reflected the outcomes of elections. However, they also voiced concerns that the expectations of the public, particularly in relation to the political system, economic recovery and broader community aspirations, remain largely unmet.

Ms. Silva discussed the challenges and barriers hindering the progress toward the systemic change desired by the people, creating opportunities for participants to engage in dialogue, share their perspectives and listen to one another's views. The participants appreciated of the research effort, recognising the dedication of the academics and enumerators who contributed to this comprehensive, island wide study.