The party of Sri Lanka’s new Marxist-leaning President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has taken a large lead in early results from the parliamentary elections, in an apparent solid mandate for his program for economic revival.

Sri Lanka began counting votes cast on Thursday in a snap general election that will decide if the Indian Ocean island nation will give its new leftist president greater legislative power to help the poor as it recovers from a financial meltdown.

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake's promise to hold corrupt officials accountable has fueled his public support.

A former agriculture minister and long-time member of parliament, Dissanayake came into spotlight by distancing himself from the political elite, presenting himself as an outsider with the ability to address Sri Lanka’s financial crisis.

Sri Lankans are voting in a parliamentary election that's key for their new, Marxist-leaning president to consolidate his party’s power and follow through on promises of economic recovery.

This election marks a critical juncture for Sri Lanka as it looks to emerge from a historic financial crisis with a focus on structural change.

Sri Lanka's president's coalition, the National People's Power (NPP) posted an early lead in a parliamentary election, local television channel Ada Derana said on Thursday. President Anura Kumara Dissanayake called for snap a general election in September to seek a mandate to take forward his policies in the island nation struggling to emerge from a severe financial crisis.