Four city corporations, nine municipalities go to polls Aug 4
Saturday, 21 June 2008
Elections to four city corporations and nine municipalities will be held on August 4, said the Election Commission (EC) announcing the election schedule Friday, reports UNB.
Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) ATM Shamsul Huda announced the election schedule amid protests by major political parties, as they are demanding parliamentary elections first.
Announcing the election schedule at a crowded news conference, the CEC said the state of emergency would be relaxed for 21 days from July 13 to August 4 to facilitate electioneering in the city corporations and municipalities where the elections would be held.
The four city corporations going to polls are Rajshahi, Barisal, Sylhet and Khulna. The nine municipalities are Dupchachia in Bogra, Naohata in Rajshahi, Sreepur in Gazipur, Fulbaria in Mymensingh, Golapganj in Sylhet, Sitakunda in Chittagong, Chuadanga Sadar, Manikganj Sadar and Shariatpur Sadar.
According to the schedule, the last date for filing nomination papers is July 3, nomination papers will be scrutinized on July 6-7 and the last date for withdrawal of nomination papers is July 13.
The CEC said the Commission announced the election schedule for the city corporations and municipalities as per the roadmap declared on July 15, 2007. 'The roadmap says that the local government elections would be held where the voter registration work would be completed.
So, we want to hold the local-body election as per the roadmap,' he said.
He also said these elections could have been held one month and a half ago but it did not happen so, as the Local Government Ministry could not prepare some necessary election rules.
As per the election rules, Dr Shamsul Huda said a ward commissioner candidate will have to be registered in the voter list in the area from where he or she wants to contest the election.
Similarly, a mayor candidate needs to be a voter for the city corporation from where he or she wants to be a candidate.
Referring to the election code of conduct, he said this time the candidates and their supporters would not be allowed to go for showdown, wall writing and indiscriminate pasting of posters for their election campaign.
About the programmes announced by political parties to resist the local-body elections if those are held prior to parliamentary elections, Dr Huda said these elections would not create any problem for holding the national election. 'We're trying to follow the electoral rules in this regard,' he said.
Asked how people would cast their votes if there is rain on the election day, he said rural people might face a little bit of problem in case of rain, but there would be no problem in urban areas.
Meanwhile, the EC has appointed deputy election commissioners concerned as returning officers for conducting the four city corporation elections.
Besides, additional deputy commissioners (general) have been appointed returning officers for conducting elections to the municipalities situated in district headquarters, while Upazila Nirbahi Officers (UNOs) made returning officers to conduct the elections to the upazila-level municipalities.
The number of voters in the city corporations are: Rajshahi 258,759 Khulna 399,398, Barisal 179,293 and Sylhet 256,237.
The number of voters in the concerned municipalities are: Dupchachia 13,213, Naohata 33,780, Sreepur 48,341, Fulbaria 17,266, Golapganj 15,575, Sitakunda 25,171, Chuadanga Sadar 51,601, Manikganj Sadar 41,871 and Shariatpur Sadar 27,157.
Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) ATM Shamsul Huda announced the election schedule amid protests by major political parties, as they are demanding parliamentary elections first.
Announcing the election schedule at a crowded news conference, the CEC said the state of emergency would be relaxed for 21 days from July 13 to August 4 to facilitate electioneering in the city corporations and municipalities where the elections would be held.
The four city corporations going to polls are Rajshahi, Barisal, Sylhet and Khulna. The nine municipalities are Dupchachia in Bogra, Naohata in Rajshahi, Sreepur in Gazipur, Fulbaria in Mymensingh, Golapganj in Sylhet, Sitakunda in Chittagong, Chuadanga Sadar, Manikganj Sadar and Shariatpur Sadar.
According to the schedule, the last date for filing nomination papers is July 3, nomination papers will be scrutinized on July 6-7 and the last date for withdrawal of nomination papers is July 13.
The CEC said the Commission announced the election schedule for the city corporations and municipalities as per the roadmap declared on July 15, 2007. 'The roadmap says that the local government elections would be held where the voter registration work would be completed.
So, we want to hold the local-body election as per the roadmap,' he said.
He also said these elections could have been held one month and a half ago but it did not happen so, as the Local Government Ministry could not prepare some necessary election rules.
As per the election rules, Dr Shamsul Huda said a ward commissioner candidate will have to be registered in the voter list in the area from where he or she wants to contest the election.
Similarly, a mayor candidate needs to be a voter for the city corporation from where he or she wants to be a candidate.
Referring to the election code of conduct, he said this time the candidates and their supporters would not be allowed to go for showdown, wall writing and indiscriminate pasting of posters for their election campaign.
About the programmes announced by political parties to resist the local-body elections if those are held prior to parliamentary elections, Dr Huda said these elections would not create any problem for holding the national election. 'We're trying to follow the electoral rules in this regard,' he said.
Asked how people would cast their votes if there is rain on the election day, he said rural people might face a little bit of problem in case of rain, but there would be no problem in urban areas.
Meanwhile, the EC has appointed deputy election commissioners concerned as returning officers for conducting the four city corporation elections.
Besides, additional deputy commissioners (general) have been appointed returning officers for conducting elections to the municipalities situated in district headquarters, while Upazila Nirbahi Officers (UNOs) made returning officers to conduct the elections to the upazila-level municipalities.
The number of voters in the city corporations are: Rajshahi 258,759 Khulna 399,398, Barisal 179,293 and Sylhet 256,237.
The number of voters in the concerned municipalities are: Dupchachia 13,213, Naohata 33,780, Sreepur 48,341, Fulbaria 17,266, Golapganj 15,575, Sitakunda 25,171, Chuadanga Sadar 51,601, Manikganj Sadar 41,871 and Shariatpur Sadar 27,157.