City Corporation elections to be deferred until April-end
Tuesday, 25 December 2007
Elections to Rajshahi, Khulna, Sylhet and Barisal city corporations will be held at the end of April next instead of March as the SSC examinations across the country have been deferred to March due to the recent cyclone, said Election Commissioner Brigadier General (retd) M Sakhawat Hussain Monday, reports UNB.
He, however, told journalists that the Election Commission (EC) would request the government, when it deems necessary, to create an appropriate environment (lifting of emergency) for holding the local body elections.
Sakhawat said this when the reporters asked about Adviser Mainul Hosein's Sunday's remarks that the caretaker government would discuss lifting of state of emergency if the EC asked for it.
"We don't want to call it state of emergency… We'll request the government, whenever it'll be necessary, to create a suitable atmosphere for facilitating the local body elections," he said.
About the delay in holding the local body elections he said, "We were always determined to hold city corporation elections in March (2008). But due to Sidr, the SSC examinations have been deferred to March, and will conclude on April 22. So, our schedule has also been delayed naturally," Sakhawat told the journalists.
He was briefing the newsmen after visiting voter-listing centres at Kakoli High School and Dhanmondi Govt Girls' High School at Dhanmondi in the city.
Sakhawat said schools and school teachers are needed to set up polling stations and make polling officials respectively. "So, the EC has planned to hold RCC, KCC, SCC and BCC elections in April 2008."
The tenures of Rajshahi and Khulna city corporations already expired on June 16 and June 26 this year respectively while that of Sylhet and Barisal would expire on May 5 and May 9 next year respectively.
According to rules, city corporation elections have to be held 180 days ahead of expiry of the tenure and if not held in time, the incumbent mayors and commissioners would perform the duties until the first meeting of the next corporation.
"Holding of Dhaka City Corporation (DCC) election won't be possible in April. We'll hold it separately," Sakhawat said when asked if the EC would also hold the DCC election in April.
He, however, told journalists that the Election Commission (EC) would request the government, when it deems necessary, to create an appropriate environment (lifting of emergency) for holding the local body elections.
Sakhawat said this when the reporters asked about Adviser Mainul Hosein's Sunday's remarks that the caretaker government would discuss lifting of state of emergency if the EC asked for it.
"We don't want to call it state of emergency… We'll request the government, whenever it'll be necessary, to create a suitable atmosphere for facilitating the local body elections," he said.
About the delay in holding the local body elections he said, "We were always determined to hold city corporation elections in March (2008). But due to Sidr, the SSC examinations have been deferred to March, and will conclude on April 22. So, our schedule has also been delayed naturally," Sakhawat told the journalists.
He was briefing the newsmen after visiting voter-listing centres at Kakoli High School and Dhanmondi Govt Girls' High School at Dhanmondi in the city.
Sakhawat said schools and school teachers are needed to set up polling stations and make polling officials respectively. "So, the EC has planned to hold RCC, KCC, SCC and BCC elections in April 2008."
The tenures of Rajshahi and Khulna city corporations already expired on June 16 and June 26 this year respectively while that of Sylhet and Barisal would expire on May 5 and May 9 next year respectively.
According to rules, city corporation elections have to be held 180 days ahead of expiry of the tenure and if not held in time, the incumbent mayors and commissioners would perform the duties until the first meeting of the next corporation.
"Holding of Dhaka City Corporation (DCC) election won't be possible in April. We'll hold it separately," Sakhawat said when asked if the EC would also hold the DCC election in April.