UZ reserved seats polls in Dec

The Election Commission (EC) is preparing to hold election to reserved women seats in Upazila (UZ) Parishads by the end of December. The polls are likely to be held after secondary-level tests examinations for fifth and eighth grade. The schedules might be released in the third week of November, but the final decision will depend on the country’s political situation and other relevant matters, officials say. Upazila councils did not have reserved representation of women in the last government’s tenure. But after conclusion of the 4th Upazila Council polls in six phases, the body headed by Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmad, began the work to hold the election for the reserved seats. The EC Secretariat has presented the commission with a proposal to decide a probable schedule to have polls for reserved women seats in eligible UZs, said a deputy secretary working in the commission’s election operation wing. The proposal said a gazette on demarcation of 452 of the 487 UZ has been released along with the voter lists for 351 eligible UZs. The Junior School Certificate and Primary School Certificate examinations will end in November whereas SSC tests and annual school tests will end in December’s first and third week respectively, according to a news agency.