Voter-list may be finalised by July next yr, polls before Oct
Wednesday, 10 October 2007
As per latest projections made by the Election Commission (EC), the new voter list with photograph may be finalised by July 2008 and the general election is likely to be held before October next year-a little ahead of the set roadmap timings, reports UNB.
The EC has expected to hold election to all the city corporations within April 2008 at the latest if the voter-lists of the concerned areas are completed by December 2007 or next January.
"We have a projection…The voter list may be finalised by July… We hope to achieve it," Chief Election Commissioner Dr ATM Shamsul Huda
told the press at his office in the city Tuesday afternoon.
"We have always been saying that December 2008 is our set timing. But the national elections may be held before October if voter list completes by July next… In this case, the elections may come forward by maximum one or two months," he said when asked if there was any possibility of holding the stalled 9th parliamentary elections before October.
The CEC said it is their message to the people that the EC is on the right track since dynamism has come to the task of voter listing with the help and coordination of the people.
"The task will complete before October 2008, if it continues by this way. We would be able to say how early. We have a projection, but don't want to tell it right now," said Huda, whose commission is carrying out the toughest task in Bangladesh's electoral history.
The EC is considering voter listing in Dhaka City Corporation (DCC) area as the most challenging part of the whole voter-listing-with-photograph project, he said, adding that they would do the task of DCC voter listing from December 1, 2007 to January 31, 2008.
"It is better to hold all the city-corporation elections all together," the CEC observed and said that they might delay a little bit holding the city elections for the sake of holding those all together if the concerned voter lists complete by December or January.
"It would take February for the correction of the voter list. Election schedules might be announced in March 2008. The elections would take place at least within April 2008," said the CEC.
Asked about the dispute over holding local-body elections before national elections, he said they would do it since the Local Government and Rural Development (LGRD) Ministry has requested them
as per law to hold the polls and they are to be ready to do so.
Dhaka, Rajshahi and Khulna city corporations' tenures have already been over respectively since May 14, June 16 and 26 this year. On the other hand, Sylhet, Barisal and Chittagong city corporations' times would be over respectively on May 5 and May 9 in 2008 and June 25, 2010.
CEC Huda further said they are expecting that with the registration of about 2,53,08,000 voters about 21-26 per cent (one-fifth) task of total voter listing project would be completed by December 2007.
The EC has expected to hold election to all the city corporations within April 2008 at the latest if the voter-lists of the concerned areas are completed by December 2007 or next January.
"We have a projection…The voter list may be finalised by July… We hope to achieve it," Chief Election Commissioner Dr ATM Shamsul Huda
told the press at his office in the city Tuesday afternoon.
"We have always been saying that December 2008 is our set timing. But the national elections may be held before October if voter list completes by July next… In this case, the elections may come forward by maximum one or two months," he said when asked if there was any possibility of holding the stalled 9th parliamentary elections before October.
The CEC said it is their message to the people that the EC is on the right track since dynamism has come to the task of voter listing with the help and coordination of the people.
"The task will complete before October 2008, if it continues by this way. We would be able to say how early. We have a projection, but don't want to tell it right now," said Huda, whose commission is carrying out the toughest task in Bangladesh's electoral history.
The EC is considering voter listing in Dhaka City Corporation (DCC) area as the most challenging part of the whole voter-listing-with-photograph project, he said, adding that they would do the task of DCC voter listing from December 1, 2007 to January 31, 2008.
"It is better to hold all the city-corporation elections all together," the CEC observed and said that they might delay a little bit holding the city elections for the sake of holding those all together if the concerned voter lists complete by December or January.
"It would take February for the correction of the voter list. Election schedules might be announced in March 2008. The elections would take place at least within April 2008," said the CEC.
Asked about the dispute over holding local-body elections before national elections, he said they would do it since the Local Government and Rural Development (LGRD) Ministry has requested them
as per law to hold the polls and they are to be ready to do so.
Dhaka, Rajshahi and Khulna city corporations' tenures have already been over respectively since May 14, June 16 and 26 this year. On the other hand, Sylhet, Barisal and Chittagong city corporations' times would be over respectively on May 5 and May 9 in 2008 and June 25, 2010.
CEC Huda further said they are expecting that with the registration of about 2,53,08,000 voters about 21-26 per cent (one-fifth) task of total voter listing project would be completed by December 2007.