The security around Sri Lanka's parliament has been increased as the voting for the country's next president is set to begin.

Footage from July 19 shows barricades have been set up and are guarded by dozens of police personnel.

Sri Lanka’s main opposition leader, Sajith Premadasa, has withdrawn from the presidential race and thrown his support behind a rival candidate in a bid to challenge acting President Ranil Wickremesinghe.

The security has been beefed up in and around Sri Lanka’s Parliament complex on Tuesday after the Speaker lodged a complaint with the Inspector General of Police calling for a detailed investigation to be conducted into certain inflammatory posts published on social media threatening Members of Parliament. Sri Lanka's acting president renewed the country's state of emergency Monday ahead of a parliamentary vote to pick a new head of state – a poll in which he is a leading candidate.

The security has been beefed up in and around Sri Lanka’s Parliament complex on Tuesday after the Speaker lodged a complaint with the Inspector General of Police calling for a detailed investigation to be conducted into certain inflammatory posts published on social media threatening Members of Parliament.

Sri Lanka's acting president renewed the country's state of emergency Monday ahead of a parliamentary vote to pick a new head of state – a poll in which he is a leading candidate.