Election Commissioner Anwarul Islam Sarker on Sunday hinted that the Election Commission is likely to announce the schedule for the first phase of Union Parishad elections this month, with voting likely to be held before or after the annual examinations of students.
“You will see many developments this month and we will be able to say many things specifically,” he said while replying to a question from reporters over the schedule announcement at the Nirbachan Bhaban in the city.
The Commissioner said they would start holding the local government elections with the Union Parishad polls.
Sarker said the commission is considering the academic calendar while fixing the date for the first phase of the UP elections as November and December are particularly important for students and a busy period for teachers.
“There are annual examinations, scholarship examinations and then test examinations. We have to keep these examinations in consideration,” he said.
He said polling centres for the local government elections would be located at educational institutions, while teachers would be engaged as presiding officers, assistant presiding officers and polling officers.
“We have to consider the matter seriously so that examinations and elections do not take place at the same time,” he said.
He also said the EC plans to increase the use of technology to strengthen security during the local polls.
“We are thinking of bringing all polling centres under CCTV camera coverage. We will further increase the use of body-worn cameras,” said Sarker.
He said drones would also be used so that the commission could quickly obtain information about what is happening at different locations and facilitate the movement of law-enforcement agencies.
The EC will also take measures to counter false information and misinformation during the elections, he added.
Asked about Jamaat-e-Islami's demand to bar political office-bearers from contesting non-party local government elections, Sarker declined to comment.
Jamaat has placed a nine-point demand concerning the local government elections, including allowing MPO-listed teachers to contest and disqualifying office-bearers of the banned Awami League from participating in the polls.
Asked whether people holding positions in banned political organisations would be allowed to contest the local elections, Sarker said the elections would have to be held on a non-party basis.
“Local government elections have to be held non-partisan. Is there an opportunity for us to say anything about this? There is no opportunity to say so,” he said.
Regarding the participation of MPO-listed teachers, the commissioner said concerns could arise over their neutrality if they contest the election and at the same time serve as polling officials.
He said this was why the EC has recommended amendments to the relevant election law.
Besides, Sarker said the schedule for the by-election to the Thakurgaon-1 constituency would be announced soon.
“We are ready to hold the election. We are also preparing for IT-supported postal voting there. Hopefully, we will be able to announce the schedule within a few days,” he said.