Referendum ordinance now ready

Voting on single question, results may be based on majority centres' counts

FE REPORT | Published: November 25, 2025 23:11:30

Referendum results may be declared based on the vote counts from the majority of polling centres, in case of disruption in any centre, as per a provision of the just-endorsed Referendum Ordinance.
The Advisory Council of the interim government in a meeting Tuesday, with Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus presiding, approved the ordinance that vests the Election Commission (EC) with this authority.
Law Adviser Dr Asif Nazrul elaborated on some important sections of the referendum ordinance at a briefing held at the Foreign Service Academy in Dhaka after the meeting.
He said, "If for any reason polling is disrupted, the presiding officer may suspend the vote. If the Election Commission feels that the results from other centres are insufficient to determine the overall outcome, only then will the Commission order re-polling at those affected centres.
"Suppose there are one thousand polling centres. If the Commission sees that voting could not be held at 20 centres, but that excluding these 20 centres, the results from the remaining 980 centres are enough to determine the referendum result, then the Commission will not order re-polling at the 20 centres."
The draft new law also provides that the same seal used for the national election will also be used for the referendum-meant for stipulating the mass uprising and resultant major reforms in legislative and governance system.
The law adviser says that, for the convenience of voters, the referendum ballot will be of a different colour. "We hope the gazette will be issued today or tomorrow."
And the referendum will have only one question. Voters will have to vote either 'Yes' or 'No'. The referendum will be held at the same time as the national election. The referendum ballot will be of a different colour from the national-election ballot so that no confusion arises.
"The returning officers, assistant returning officers, presiding officers, and polling officers appointed for the national election will carry out the same responsibilities for the referendum as well."
Shafiqul Alam, Press Secretary to the CA, moderated the briefing.
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