Election Commission Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed said on Thursday that the commission is awaiting court rulings on 14 writ petitions filed with the higher judiciary challenging the delimitation of parliamentary constituencies.
“Many of you are curious about the constituency boundaries. As far as I have learnt, 14 writs have been filed from different places over the issue. Since the matter is now under court jurisdiction, I think it is sub-judice to comment further,” he said while talking to reporters at Nirbachan Bhaban in the capital over the recent violence relating to constituency delimitation.
The EC on September 4 issued a gazette notification finalising the delimitation, which brought changes to the boundaries of 46 constituencies across 16 districts as well as raised the number of constituencies by one in Gazipur district and declined the number by one in Bagerhat district, ahead of the national election, scheduled for early February 2026.
People in several areas, including Bagerhat, Faridpur and Brahmanbaria, protested the new boundaries.
Faridpur violence: Case filed against Nixon Chowdhury, 28 others
The EC secretary said both the petitioners and the Election Commission itself have full confidence in the judiciary. “We’ll have to wait until the court makes a decision.”
When his attention was drawn to the legal provision in this regard, he said although the law states under its section 7 that such issues are not acceptable in court, the writ petitions were accepted by the High Court as anyone has fundamental rights to file a writ petition.
“So, I don’t think it is within my authority to provide any legal interpretation now,” he said.
The Article 7 of the Delimitation of Constituencies Ordinance, 1976 states the validity of the delimitation or formation of any constituency, or of any proceedings taken or anything done by or under the authority of the Commission, under this Ordinance shall not be called in question in or before any Court or other authority.
Replying to a question about protests and vandalism centering on constituency boundary changes, the senior secretary said violence is unexpected under any circumstances.
He reiterated that since the matter is pending before the court, the Election Commission will abide by whatever decision comes from the judiciary.
The current commission headed by Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin re-demarcated 46 constituencies: Panchagarh-1 and 2, Rangpur-1 and 3, Sirajganj-1 and 2, Pabna-1 and 2, Bagerhat-1, 2 and 3, Satkhira-2, 3 and 4, Manikganj-2 and 3, Dhaka-2, 4, 5, 7, 10 and 14, Gazipur-1, 2, 3, 5 and 6, Narayanganj-3, 4 and 5, Faridpur-2 and 4, Shariatpur-2 and 3, Brahmanbaria-2 and 3, Cumilla-1, 2, 6 and 10, Noakhali-1, 2, 4 and 5, and Chattogram-7 and 8.
In the final delimitation, the number of constituencies in Gazipur rose from five to six, while Bagerhat’s fell from four to three.
Faridpur protesters postpone re-demarcation movement
Earlier, on July 30, the EC had published a draft delimitation of the 300 constituencies, proposing boundary changes in 39 constituencies across 14 districts. In the draft delimitation, six constituencies were also proposed for Gazipur district, reducing the number of parliamentary seats to 3 in Bagerhat.
Following the draft publication, the commission received some 1,893 applications containing claims, complaints and suggestions over 84 constituencies.
Then the Election Commission arranged a four-day hearing on the claims, objections and recommendations regarding the re-demarcation of parliamentary constituencies on August 24-27.
The previous Election Commission, headed by Kazi Habibul Awal, re-demarcated 10 constituencies ahead of the 12th national election, while the KM Nurul Huda-led commission changed the boundaries of 25 constituencies ahead of the 2018 general election and Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmad-headed commission redrew the boundaries of 87 constituencies ahead of 10th parliamentary election.
In 2008, the ATM Shamsul Huda-led commission made massive changes in the 133 constituencies before the 9th general election.