EC fails to stop advance campaign for DCC polls

FE Team | Published: March 17, 2015 00:00:00 | Updated: November 30, 2026 06:01:00

Election Commission (EC) said it cannot stop aspirants campaigning in advance for city corporation polls before it announces the roadmap to the balloting because of legal loopholes, reports bdnews24.com
Election Commissioner Md Shah Nawaz put the onus on the law-enforcing agencies saying the EC had nothing to do with it.
He said those who are conducting campaign in advance will have to include the spending later in the election expenses once the schedules are announced.
Posters and billboards of possible candidates have covered Dhaka and Chittagong cities ahead of the polls.
A law was passed in 2012 to prevent pasting posters and paint graffiti inThe law says candidates will be able to paste posters and paint graffiti on certain conditions after getting permission from local government authorities during polls other than the parliamentary election.
They will have to remove the posters and graffiti within 15 days of the polls.
Commissioner Nawaz said the EC could enforce the law only after announcing the schedules.
He told reporters on Sunday: "The law-enforcing agencies will watch those who are conducting campaign before the schedules are out. The EC law is not covering the matter now."
According to the law, a candidate will be fined up to Tk 50,000 or sentenced to 30 days in jail if he or she pastes poster or paints graffiti in forbidden places. Mobile courts will be able to punish them.
The EC will apply the code of conduct after announcing the schedule.
Candidates will be able to start campaign once they are assigned electoral logo.
EC officials said the commission is helpless when candidates conduct campaigns in advance.
They said they could only ask hopefuls to take down the posters and billboards.