Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) AMM Nasir Uddin has said the national polls schedule will be declared two months before the election, reports BSS.
"The polls schedule will be announced 55 or 60 days before the election. It is not possible to fix the exact date of the election at this time. However, the commission is ready whenever the election is held," he told Sunday reporters at his office at Nirbachan Bhaban in city's Agargaon.
Nasir Uddin said the voter list must be ready before the election schedule. Work of updating the voter list will be completed by this June, he added.
If necessary, he said, some changes are being considered in the voter registration law to include the younger generation. Those who have turned 18 will be included in the list, he added.
Besides, the CEC said the application period for political party registration also ends on June 22. There is a major task like determining the boundaries of parliamentary constituencies, he added.
Replying to a query, Nasir Uddin said, "We need to discuss with the government. So far, the government has discussed these issues. We need to understand their position. After discussing with the government, a decision will be taken once we get an idea about the possible timing of the vote."
In response to another question, the CEC said, "If we get an idea from the government, we are ready to hold elections accordingly. The biggest task is voter registration. This task is almost complete".
He said, "We have not set any target for the elections yet. An important meeting was held in London. I saw the joint statement. The government's cooperation is required for holding a fair election. No matter how independent the Election Commission is. Elections are not possible without the government's cooperation".
The Chief Adviser has said that he wants to hold a fair election, the CEC added.
UNB report added, the Election Commission has requested the government to provide progress reports on the repair and renovation of polling station structures that are likely to be used in the upcoming parliamentary elections.
The EC on Monday sent an urgent letter to six government officials --four secretaries and two chief engineers -- seeking updates on the progress of repair and renovation works to be sent within one month.
The six officials are the senior secretary of the Secondary and Higher Education Division, the secretaries of the Primary and Mass Education Ministry, the Technical and Madrasah Education Division and the LGRD and Cooperatives Ministry, and the chief engineers of the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) and the Education Engineering Department (EED).
"Information on the progress of renovation activities of the facilities to be used as polling stations for the upcoming parliamentary elections is particularly needed. It is requested to collect the information and send it to the Election Commission Secretariat by July 17," reads the letter signed by EC Deputy Secretary Dewan Md Sarwar Jahan.
Referring to a previous letter sent in April last to the same authorities, the Election Commission said some educational institutions used as polling stations in the last general election or might be used in the next elections do not have boundary walls or their doors and windows are in dilapidated condition. So, the EC instructed the ministries or divisions concerned to carry out minor repairs or renovations at the educational institutions with their own funds.
There were more than 44,000 polling stations in the 12th Parliamentary Election (held in January, 2024), over 40,000 polling stations in the 11th parliamentary election (December, 2018) and nearly 38 polling stations in the 10th parliamentary election (January, 2014).
