COLOMBO, Dec. 28 (Xinhua) -- A record number of over 450,000 postal voting applications for the forthcoming presidential election have been received, election officials here said Monday.

    This was the highest number of postal applications ever since the first presidential election held in 1982.

    Only those state employees who are involved in essential duties on the election day are eligible to be accepted as postal voters.

    Members of the security forces, police and election officials fall into this category.

    The north western provincial Kurunegala district had over 54,000 applications, officials said.

    Some 14 million out of the island's 20 million population are eligible to vote at the presidential election to be held on Jan. 26, 2010.