Sri Lanka's Marxist-leaning leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake grabbed a commanding early lead on Sunday in his bid to become the next president of the debt-ridden country seeking to elect a leader to bolster its fragile economic recovery.

Those who were engaged in election duties in this period, were allowed to use their official identity cards as curfew passes, the police said, adding that, those who are on their way to the airport or returning from abroad can use the air ticket as a curfew pass.