COLOMBO, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- Postal voting for the Sri Lankan presidential election, scheduled for Sept. 21, commenced Wednesday morning and will continue until Sept. 6, the Elections Commission said.

Commissioner General of Elections Saman Sri Ratnayake told journalists here that voting will take place at over 1,500 centers.

Those unable to vote during this period can do so on Sept. 11 and 12 at polling stations set up in district election offices.

A total of 712,321 people have qualified to cast postal votes for the presidential election, Ratnayake said.

Sri Lanka allows civil servants who cannot vote on election day at their designated polling station to vote early through postal votes.