EC unveils roadmap, targets polls in February first half
EC announces roadmap prioritising 24 key tasks
Highlights
- EC sets election target for first half of February
- The schedule will be declared in the first half of December
- Talks with parties, stakeholders by end of September
- Process may take up to 1.5 months
- Roadmap prepared in line with CA's directive on polls before Ramadan
The Election Commission has unveiled its roadmap for the 13th national election, with a target to hold the polls in the first half of February next year before Ramadan starts.
Discussions with political parties and other stakeholders will be held by the end of September and may take one to one and a half months, EC Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed said while briefing the media at the EC headquarters in Dhaka today.
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He also announced that the election schedule will be declared 60 days before voting.
"The Chief Adviser's Office has asked us to hold the election before Ramadan. If I'm not mistaken, Ramadan will begin on 17 or 18 February, though of course it depends on the sighting of the moon. From this, you can calculate the probable election date," he said.
He added that Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus earlier also instructed that the election be held before Ramadan, and the roadmap has been prepared accordingly.
When asked about demands for local government elections, a constituent assembly, and a referendum, the secretary said, "The chief adviser's directive is for the national election. We have no scope to consider anything other than the parliamentary election."
The EC first introduced a formal election roadmap in 2007. The approach outlined a one-and-a-half-year plan for announcing schedules and conducting polls, later widely known as the "roadmap".
Final voter list on 30 Nov
The EC has announced the roadmap prioritising 24 key tasks.
According to the roadmap timeline, the final voter list is expected to be completed by 31 August, and a supplementary list will be finalised by 30 October. The final voter list will be published on 30 November.
Regarding electoral laws and regulations, proposals for amending the Representation of the People Order (RPO) and other laws and rules will be finalised by 31 August.
In addition, the process of amending the Delimitation of Constituencies Act, the Voter List Act, finalising the polling centre policy and management for parliamentary elections, finalising the policy for domestic and foreign observers and journalists, the Representation of the People (Amendment) Act 2025, the Election Officers (Special Provisions) Act 1991, and the Election Commission Secretariat Act 2009 is currently underway at the Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs.
The commission expects to complete this process by 30 September.
Domestic election observer organisations will be registered and issued final certificates by 15 November. Manuals, guidelines, posters, and identification cards related to the election will also be printed by that date.
The EC also plans to finalise the registration of new political parties and issue the official gazette notification by 30 September.
The delimitation of all 300 constituencies will be finalised by 15 September, with the gazette to be published in the same month and the GIS map to be prepared and released by 30 September.
Postal voting arrangements, which include project approval, finalisation of software, development of mobile applications, and awareness campaigns, are scheduled for completion in October.
The commission plans to send ballot papers for expatriates in November, which is scheduled to be completed by 5 January 2026.
While ballot papers for prisoners will be dispatched two weeks before election day.
Transparent ballot boxes and other election materials will be made fully ready for use by 30 November.
The EC has also planned to install digital monitors and related equipment at its headquarters by December to display unofficial results on election night.
By 15 November, the commission will finalise budget proposals and detailed allocations for the election.
The EC will meet representatives of the home ministry and law enforcement agencies will be held on 25 September to discuss security issues at constituencies.
The roadmap further includes a plan to hold a series of meetings with law enforcement agency representatives from 16-20 November to discuss specific security sector issues and to formulate the budget proposal in phases.
The training for the Electoral Inquiry Committee is scheduled to be completed by 25 December. The committee's judicial magistrates will begin their work on enforcing laws and regulations immediately after the schedule is announced.
Addressing challenges
Addressing the media, Akhtar said, "Every task carries challenges. We cannot predict every unforeseen event, but readiness is our strength."
He added that law-and-order falls under the home ministry and that the EC will coordinate closely to ensure smooth voting procedures.
On the use of CCTV or body cameras at polling centres, he said the decision rests with the home ministry. "If cameras are deemed necessary, we will fully cooperate," he added.
When asked whether holding dialogue with political parties afterwards risks ignoring their opinions, he said, "If any adjustments are needed following discussions with stakeholders, we will incorporate them and make necessary adjustments. The extent of such changes will depend on the circumstances."
On electoral law reforms, he noted that the EC has already taken initiatives based on recommendations from the Reform Commission and the Consensus Commission, and does not expect major new recommendations to arise in future dialogues.
Akhtar also said combating AI misuse, misinformation, and disinformation are a significant challenge. "We are working on this and will adjust with the relevant authorities.
