EC yet to start printing of ballot papers for 50 'disputed' seats
Sunday, 21 December 2008
The Election Commission (EC) has not yet started printing ballot papers for 50 'disputed' constituencies as the final candidates for those seats remained unresolved due to petitions filed with the High Court, an election official said Saturday, reports bdnews24.com.
He also said the media report that about 2.5 million to 3.0 million (25 lakh to 30 lakh) ballot papers may have to be destroyed is not correct.
"We have not printed ballot papers for the disputed constituencies yet, excepting Barisal-1, which will have to be dumped now," joint secretary at the EC Secretariat Rafiqul Islam told reporters.
The EC has given print orders for ballots of 250 seats until Saturday, he said.
He added that candidates for 18 constituencies had approached the EC so far with court orders on validation of their nominations.
A good number of candidates are back in the race through High Court rulings after appealing against cancellation of their nominations by the EC.
"The media report that the commission has destroyed some 25 to 30 lakh ballot papers is not correct," Islam said.
"We will be printing ballot papers up to Dec. 26 for constituencies where candidates are securing court orders," he said.
"We can destroy the previous ballot papers until one day ahead of the elections, if necessary."
"It takes just one and a half hours to print ballot papers for one constituency. There is no problem with starting printing after a candidate comes to us with a court order," he explained.
But there is no scope to disobey the court order, Islam added.
"When the candidates first started coming to the commission with court orders we halted the printing of other disputed constituencies," he added.
Printing of ballot papers for the general and Upazila Parishad elections has been going on in full swing at three government presses since Dec 14.
A total of 81,058,698 ballot papers and 300,000 postal ballot papers for the parliamentary elections and more than 210 million (21 crore) ballot papers will be printed for Upazila elections, the EC has said.
He also said the media report that about 2.5 million to 3.0 million (25 lakh to 30 lakh) ballot papers may have to be destroyed is not correct.
"We have not printed ballot papers for the disputed constituencies yet, excepting Barisal-1, which will have to be dumped now," joint secretary at the EC Secretariat Rafiqul Islam told reporters.
The EC has given print orders for ballots of 250 seats until Saturday, he said.
He added that candidates for 18 constituencies had approached the EC so far with court orders on validation of their nominations.
A good number of candidates are back in the race through High Court rulings after appealing against cancellation of their nominations by the EC.
"The media report that the commission has destroyed some 25 to 30 lakh ballot papers is not correct," Islam said.
"We will be printing ballot papers up to Dec. 26 for constituencies where candidates are securing court orders," he said.
"We can destroy the previous ballot papers until one day ahead of the elections, if necessary."
"It takes just one and a half hours to print ballot papers for one constituency. There is no problem with starting printing after a candidate comes to us with a court order," he explained.
But there is no scope to disobey the court order, Islam added.
"When the candidates first started coming to the commission with court orders we halted the printing of other disputed constituencies," he added.
Printing of ballot papers for the general and Upazila Parishad elections has been going on in full swing at three government presses since Dec 14.
A total of 81,058,698 ballot papers and 300,000 postal ballot papers for the parliamentary elections and more than 210 million (21 crore) ballot papers will be printed for Upazila elections, the EC has said.