The Election Commission (EC) has made use of the photo voter list mandatory in the 13th Jatiya Sangsad election for the polling officers, reports BSS.
The EC Secretariat issued a circular in this regard on Friday.
According to the circular, photo voter list must be used in the polling center. Election officials and polling officers on duty were asked to use the photo voter list in the polling centres.
However, the candidates, election agents or polling agents, can collect the non-photo voter list in CD form and print and use it as required.
To obtain the CD, an application must be submitted at the district or upazila level, or at the office of the returning officer (RO) or assistant returning officer (ARO), during the submission of nomination papers.
A fee of Taka 500 per union and cantonment board area, and Taka 500 for each ward of city corporations and Pourasavas must be deposited through treasury challan or pay order. The treasury challan code is 1060101100125-1423253.
The circular further stated that the CD containing the non-photo voter list provided to candidates must be verified 100 percent against the printed photo voter list before being sent to the polling centres.
The circular said, the polling officials and staffs will be able to cast their votes through the IT-supported postal ballot system. Registration through the "Postal Vote BD" app must be completed within 15 days from the announcement of the election schedule.
Returning officers have been instructed to finalize panels of polling officials immediately after the announcement of the election schedule and inform them promptly about registration.
The Election Commission (EC) has announced that no candidate will be allowed to contest election in more than three constituencies in the upcoming 13th Jatiya Sangsad election.
A circular issued by the EC Secretariat said, Article 13Ka of the Representation of the People Order (RPO), 1972 stipulated that if any individual files nomination papers from more than three constituencies simultaneously, all of his or her nomination papers shall be deemed invalid."
The circular further said that any individual holding an "office of profit" of the state will not be eligible to contest in the national election.
A full-time position in the Republic or in any institution controlled by the government will be considered an office of profit, and such individuals will be disqualified from running in the election, it said.
It added that chairmen of Upazila Parishads, Zila Parishads and Union Parishads; Mayors of City Corporations and Pourasavas; responsible officials of various government, autonomous, semi-autonomous or government-funded offices, institutions, corporations or authorities; and individuals engaged on contract at Bangladesh missions abroad must resign from their posts in accordance with rules if they wish to contest in the polls.
The circular also provided detailed instructions regarding the management of election expenses. It said that under Article 44Ka of the RPO, 1972, every election agent or if there is no agent, the candidate himself or herself must open a separate bank account in a scheduled bank. Except for personal expenses, all election-related expenditures must be incurred from this account.
In accordance with the Election Conduct Rules, 2025, candidates must submit particulars of their projected sources of election expenses in Form-20 and a statement of assets, liabilities and annual income-expenditure in Form-21 along with their nomination papers.
