EC plans to hold 2,000 UP elections before Ramadan

The Election Commission (EC) is moving forward with a plan to hold Union Parishad (UP) elections early next year. 

According to its preliminary plan, the Commission is preparing to commence UP elections in phases, starting from the first week of January.

Election Commissioner Abdur Rahmanel Masud said if the first phase of elections begins in the first week of January, it would be possible to complete elections for 2,000 UPs in three phases before the holy month of Ramadan.

In a recent interview with BSS at Nirbachan Bhaban in the city's Agargaon area, Masud said if the first phase of elections takes place in the first week of January, the election schedule would be announced 40 to 45 days prior.

He said the Commission will also consider public examinations in holding the polls so that students can take part in their examinations without any disruption.

However, he pointed out that nothing has been finalised yet to this end.

Highlighting that all preparations for the UP elections are in place, the Election Commissioner said, "We have all kinds of preparations ready. We will undertake any further preparatory measures that may be required."

He added that election preparation is an ongoing process.

Masud said the plan involves holding UP elections in multiple phases before Ramadan and then resuming the process after Ramadan to complete all UP elections by June.

Regarding plans for other local government elections, he mentioned that the Commission is considering holding municipal elections immediately after the UP elections. 

He noted that once the UP elections are concluded, other local government elections would follow in phases.

Emphasising the need for everyone's cooperation to conduct local government elections smoothly, Masud said, "We require the cooperation of law enforcement agencies, the administration, and everyone else, including school and college teachers. So, we will strive to conduct a successful election through coordination with the government."

Noting that the law and order situation remains normal, he said during recent preparatory meetings with various ministries, departments, and authorities regarding the local government elections, the Commission was assured that the law and order situation is stable.

"We will proceed assuming the law and order situation is normal, and we will not call upon the army initially. However, if, after the first phase of UP elections, we feel that law enforcement needs to be strengthened, we will consider it. Otherwise, we do not currently feel the need to deploy the army for all local government elections."

Meanwhile, Election Commissioner Brigadier General (retd) Abul Fazal Md Sanaullah informed that elections must be organised promptly for about 4,272 out of the country's 4,580 Union Parishads, in compliance with the legal requirement to hold polls within 180 days prior to the expiration of their terms. 

Speaking after a recent meeting with various ministries, departments, and authorities regarding local government elections and the by-election for the Thakurgaon-1 constituency, he stated that the Commission intends to complete the UP polls before 6 June.

Election Commissioner Md Anwarul Islam Sarkar indicated that the UP elections would take place next January.

He mentioned that they are considering a specific timeline to conclude the local government (Union Parishad) elections by June 6. 

He added, "We hope that if the examinations conclude by December, we will be able to conduct the local government elections starting in January."

In the meantime, the EC has recently published a gazette notification for the 'Union Parishad (Election Code of Conduct) Rules.'

Under the EC's revised rules, the security deposit for the chairman candidate has been set at Tk25,000, while the deposit for a member candidate is Tk5,000.

Besides, the Commission has capped the maximum election expenditure at Tk10 lakh for a chairman candidate and Tk2 lakh for a member candidate.