Election
EC names 12 political parties for registration pending further scrutiny
The Election Commission (EC) announced the names of a dozen political parties out of the 93 parties that had applied for registration with the Commission in the preliminary selection process.
EC Secretary Md Jahangir Alam made the announcement at the Nirbachon Bhaban in the city's Agargaon on Tuesday.
He said the commission, led by Kazi Habibul Awal, initiated the selection process at the field level while the registration for these parties will be finalised by next June.
Read more: Next national election to be held using ballot papers, not EVMs: EC secretary
He also said a committee headed by the joint secretary scrutinised these applications who applied for fresh registration.
The 12 parties emerging after the primary selection are: AB Party (Amar Bangladesh Party), Bangladesh Nationalist Movement (BNM), Bangladesh Humanist Party (BHP), Gono Odhikar Parishad, Nagorik Oikya, Bangladesh Sanatan Party (BSP), Bangladesh Supreme Party (BSP), Bangladesh Labour Party, Bangladesh Minority Janata Party (BMJP), Bangladesh People's Party (BPP), Democratic Party and Bangladesh Liberal Democratic Party (BLDP).
Jahangir said that in the first stage, the concerned committee recommended the cancellation of the applications of 14 out of 93 parties, while two parties withdrew their applications. Later, the remaining 77 parties were given 15 days to provide additional documents. From that group, the Election Commission selected the 12 parties.
Read more: No outside pressure on Election Commission: CEC
The commission decided to collect information at the field level about these 12 parties. The commission will reach a final decision after verification at the field level, he added.
According to the commission-announced roadmap, the finalization process will be completed by June.
The Representation of the People Order (RPO) in Bangladesh requires political parties to register with the commission to contest elections. Without registration, parties can take part in different political and social activities but are not allowed to take part in elections.
To register, a party has to deposit Tk 5,000 as a fee, and is required to meet at least one condition out of the following three with supporting documentation-
-A new party needs to have an active central office, a central committee, offices in at least one-third of the administrative districts, and a memorandum of endorsement from a minimum of 200 voters as its members in each Upazila/metropolitan area.
- Having at least one member of the party who had won in a previous general election took place after the independence of Bangladesh.
-Securing at least five percent of total votes cast in the constituencies in which its candidates took part in any of the post-independence general elections.
At present, the number of registered parties with the EC stands at 39.
The newly formed commission, led by Kazi Habibul Awal, is contemplating scheduling the 12th parliamentary general elections between Dec 2023 and Jan 2024.
5 city corporation polls: AL to start distributing forms Apr 9
The ruling party Awami League will start distributing nomination forms from April 9 for the party's nomination in elections to five city corporations, five municipalities and Tarakandi upazila parishad of Mymensingh.
The aspirants were asked to collect and submit the forms from Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's Dhanmondi political office from 11am to 4 pm on April 9- April 12, said an AL press release.
The aspirants were also asked to maintain health protocols and not to crowd during the collection and submission of the forms.
The Election Commission (EC) announced the schedule of the elections city corporations –Gazipur, Khulna, Barishal, Rajshahi and Sylhet, Tarakanda Upazila Parishad in Mymensingh and Cox’s Bazar municipality, Araihazar municipality in Narayanganj, Talora in Bogura, Basail in Tangail and Gopaldi in Narayanganj
The election to Gazipur will be held on May 25, while Khulna and Barishal on June 12 and Rashahi and Sylhet on June 21.
In Gazipur city, the deadline for submission of nomination paper is April 23, while scrutiny of nomination paper is on April 30 and the last date for withdrawal of candidature is May 08, as per the election schedules.
The Dhaka regional election officer will act as the returning officer of the Gazipur city election.
In Khulna and Barishal cities, the deadline for submission of nomination paper is May 16, while scrutiny of nomination paper is on May 18 and the last date for withdrawal of candidature is May 25.
The Khulna and Barishal regional election officers will act as the returning officers of the two city elections.
Besides, Tarakandai Upazila Parishad , Cox’s Bazar and Araihazar municipality will also go to polls on June 12 following the same schedule announced for Khulna and Barishal city corporations.
In Rajshahi and Sylhet cities, the deadline for submission of nomination paper is May 23, while scrutiny of nomination paper is on May 25 and the last date for withdrawal of candidature is June 1.
The Rajshahi and Sylhet regional election officers will act as the returning officers for the two city elections.
Also, three municipalities –-Talora, Basail and Gopaldi – will go to election on June 21 following the same schedule announced forRajshahi and Sylhet city corporations.
As per the laws, the Election Commission has an obligation to complete election within 180 days before the expiry of the five-year tenure of any city corporation and other local bodies. But the tenure started with the first sitting of the elected representatives of any local body.
The last city election was held in Gazipur on June 26, 2018, while in Rajshahi Sylhet and Barishal on July 30 2018 and in Khulna city on May 15, 2018.
The election to the five cities will be held with the use of electronic voting machines (EVMs) instead of traditional ballot papers and close circuit cameras will be installed to monitor the polls.
The balloting will be held from 8:00am to 4:00pm without any recess. The EC’s own officials will act as returning officers in the five city elections.
No scope for dialogue with any party before election: Obaidul Quader
Road Transport and Bridge Minister Obaidul Quader on Monday made it clear that no one is being called for any discussion ahead of the next parliamentary election and there will be no compromise on the question of constitution, i.e. the election-time government.
“We do everything in public. Democracy doesn’t discuss in the backdoor. Discussion will be in public, if any. But I am still not seeing any such opportunity,” Quader said, while answering a question about any possibility of dialogue with the BNP to bring them to the polls.
The senior cabinet member, also general secretary of the ruling Awami League, was speaking with media personnel in the conference room of his ministry.
Mentioning that the election "will be held here like other democratic countries", Quader said: “Nothing has happened in Bangladesh that we have to amend our constitution. There will be no compromise over the constitution.”
Responding to a question about BNP’s movement, Quader said that his government doesn’t see the movement as a challenge. “No movement is possible without people’s participation. It is clear that the party has failed to draw as many people as they hoped. We are not seeing their movement as a challenge. We will face their political movement politically.”
Final number of voters in voter list updation-2022 to be published Thursday
The final number of voters in the voter list updation-2022 will be published on Thursday marking the National Voter Day.
With this, the Election Commission (EC) is going to observe the voter day for the fifth time this year with the slogan ‘will be voter following rules and vote for the competent candidates’.
The EC chalked out several programmes to observe the day to be launched through bringing out a rally from in front of the EC Bhaban in participation with the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and other commissioners around 8.30am.
A discussion meeting on the importance and significance of the voter day will be held in the EC Bhaban around 4pm. CEC Kazi Habibul Awal will attend as the chief guest.
Apart from this, an enthralling cultural event is scheduled to be held on Thursday evening.
Three election officers will be honoured for discharging duties with competency and credit.
Along with the EC headquarters, the voter day will be observed in a befitting manner at all offices across the country tomorrow.
The election affairs body ‘FEMBoSA’ belonging to SAARC decided to observe the voter day on March 2 every year in 2013.
Later, a proposal was sent to the EC with the recommendation to observe the day as the National Voter Day.
The EC unanimously took the decision to mark the day every year since then.
By-polls to 6 JS seats underway amid stray incidents
Voting in the by-polls to the six parliamentary seats — left vacant after BNP MPs resigned —is going on amid some stray incidents today.
Voting began at 8:30 am and will continue till 4:30 pm, said SM Asaduzzaman, Joint Secretary of the Election Commission.
The six constituencies are: Thakurgaon-3, Bogura-4 and 6, Chapainawabganj-2, 3 and Brahmanbaria-2.
Electronic voting machines (EVMs) are being used in the by-elections. However, no CCTV cameras have been installed in the polling centers, he added.
Forty aspirants are vying in the 6 constituencies for MP post.
EVM purchasing suspended, not cancelled: EC secretary
The government of Bangladesh has decided not to proceed with purchasing 2 lakh electronic voting machines (EVMs) at the moment, but the procurement project has not been cancelled, Election Commission (EC) Secretary Md. Jahangir Alam said today (January 23, 2023).
“The Planning Commission has decided to suspend the processing of the project, considering the government’s financial capacity amid the ongoing global economic crisis,” he said while speaking at a press briefing held at the Election Commission in Dhaka.
Read more: Vote using ballot papers if EVM scheme not passed by mid-January: Commissioner Rasheda
On September 19 last year, the Election Commission approved a Tk 8,711 crore project to procure electronic voting machines (EVMs) for 150 constituencies, out of 300, for the 12th parliamentary election.
On August 23, the EC decided to use electronic voting machines instead of traditional ballot papers in maximum of 150 constituencies in the next general election – likely to be held early next year.
The decision received strong opposition from BNP and its allies, who did not join talks with the CEC that continued throughout the month of July.
Read more: EVMs: How many seats to be known by Jan
However, the ruling Awami League welcomed the decision as it was their demand to use EVMs in all 300 seats in the next election.
Presidential election: CEC seeks appointment with Speaker
The chief election commissioner on Sunday sought an appointment from Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury for a meeting about holding the 22nd presidential election.
Confirming the matter, Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury told reporters that CEC Kazi Habibul Awal communicated with her and the meeting is likely to be held this week.
“During the meeting, CEC would come up with a draft schedule for the election and he would announce the schedule as per his convenient time,” she said.
She said that the Election Commission Secretariat also contacted the Parliament Secretariat on the same day.
Also read: Presidential election within February 23 : EC secretary
There will be no need to summon a Parliament session for the election, as per the law. Rather, a meeting will be called by the CEC for electing the president by the MPs. CEC will preside over that meeting.
If there is only one candidate then that meeting will also not be required.
She said that the detailed schedule of the presidential election will be discussed in the CEC's meeting with her.
The Election Commission will declare a single candidate as the winner as per law.
Besides, EC secretary Jahangir Alam told reporters that the presidential election, due to the obligation of the law, the election must be held between January 23 and February 23. As such, the Election Commission has started its preparation.
Explaining the law, he said that elections should be held within 90 days of the end of the term of the president.
Presidential election within February 23 : EC secretary
The presidential election of Bangladesh will be held within February 23.
Election Commission (EC) Secretary Md. Jahangir Alam said this while talking to reporters after a meeting held at EC building on Sunday.
"The process has already started. We will contact the Parliament Secretariat and fix the date of the Chief Election Commissioner’s meeting with the Speaker," he said.
Current president Abdul Hamid cannot be elected president for another term as the country’s constitution allows a maximum of two terms for a person in the post of president.
Hamid is the only President who has been serving for two consecutive terms. His second and last tenure will expire on April 24 this year.
On Apr 24, 2013, Abdul Hamid was sworn in as the 20th President of Bangladesh.
Read More: EC starts receiving applications for settling objections to draft voter list
After the end of his first tenure, Hamid also took oath as the president on the same date in 2018 for the second term.
Lawmakers vote in the presidential election, which is supposed to be held in the House with the CEC acting as the election officer.
EU keen to send observers for upcoming general election in Bangladesh: Envoy
EU Ambassador to Bangladesh Charles Whiteley on Wednesday said the European Union is very interested in sending polls observers to Bangladesh during the next general election.
He also appreciated the positive attitude by the Bangladesh authorities about welcoming foreign observers.
He was talking to reporter after a meeting with Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Habibul Awal and other EC members at the Nirbachan Bhaban in the capital.
Read more: Foreign observers are welcome during next general election: PM Hasina tells British MPs
An 11-member EU delegation led by Whiteley had a wide ranging exchange of views with the CEC and his team on Bangladesh’s preparations for the parliamentary elections, including electoral observation. The general election is likely to be held in first week of January next year.
“Everybody wants a participatory, peaceful, and fair election and that is in everybody's interest,” he added.
Kazi Awal said it will be better if foreign observers monitor elections.
EC starts receiving applications for settling objections to draft voter list
The Election Commission on Monday started receiving applications for settling the objections to the draft of the updated voter list .
The Commission informed that they will receive applications till January 31 andsettle the objections within February 7.
Read more: Voter numbers increased by 57.74 lakh in draft list: EC
The total number of voters in the country is now over 11.50 crore as the Election Commission on Sunday released a draft of the updated voter list with 57.74 lakh new voters.
The total number of voters in the final voter list published on March 2 last year was 11,32,87,010 which has increased to 11,90,61,158 this year.
The total voter growth rate this time stands at 5.10 percent.
In a letter sent by the Election Commission to the field level officials on December 11 last, everyone was instructed to send the draft list on January 15. Every year the draft list is published on January 2 but this time it did not happen.
There is a provision to update the voter list from January 2 to March 2 as per the voter list rules, EC officials said.
Read more: EC: Updated draft voter list to be published on Jan 15
According to the provision, the final list is published on March 2 after settling the objections to the draft list.
This time, the release of the draft voter list has been delayed, but the schedule of the final list will remain unchanged.