EC to announce election schedule in second week of December: CEC

The Election Commission is set to announce the schedule for the upcoming national election and the referendum, scheduled for the same day in February, in the second week of December.

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) AMM Nasir Uddin made the announcement today (29 November) while speaking to journalists after inspecting a mock voting session at Sher e Bangla Nagar Government High School.

The Election Commission organised the mock voting today, ahead of the upcoming national election and the referendum.

CEC Nasir said preparations for the upcoming national election and referendum are largely complete. The commission is committed to delivering a smooth, participatory, and credible process, he added.

He said the mock voting exercise aims to observe how an ideal polling centre functions. "Voter queues, polling officers' activities, presiding officers' roles, and the presence of journalists and observers are being tested."

Many first-time voters are gaining hands-on experience, and the commission is assessing overall time management, which is crucial as the referendum will be held alongside the election, he noted.

He added that voting is usually conducted from 8am to 4pm, and today's assessment will determine whether the planned 42,500 polling centres are sufficient or need expansion.

Adding booths involves extra staff, ballot boxes, and logistics, but necessity will guide decisions, Nasir said.

Long lines today provided insight to identify gaps and improve efficiency, the CEC added.

On recent acts of violence, he noted that law and order have never been perfect, but the overall situation has improved.

The EC is working closely with law enforcement agencies, and security is now much calmer, he remarked.

The CEC clarified that although the referendum has four proposals, voting will be only "Yes" or "No." Partial choices are not allowed, as the questions are legally bundled and politically determined, he said.

He said that the law and order situation in the country has improved since the night of 5 August 2024. He noted that incidents like theft and snatching were common earlier, but now they occur only occasionally.

He also assured that the overall environment for polling is being ensured and coordinated continuously with law enforcement. The CEC expressed confidence that the situation will continue to improve gradually, ensuring safe and smooth voting for all.

The mock voting began at around 8am and will continue until 12pm. A total of 510 male and female voters took part.