Parties should refrain from referendum campaigning before 21 Jan: EC Masud

Political parties should avoid campaigning for the upcoming referendum before 21 January, stressing the need to maintain a healthy electoral environment, Election Commissioner Abdur Rahmanel Masud said today (13 January).

Speaking to media, however, he noted that a referendum is not governed in exactly the same way as a general election, as there are no contesting candidates or political parties directly involved.

The 13th national parliamentary election will be held on 12 February, the same day a nationwide referendum will also take place. Voters will be asked to cast a "yes" or "no" vote on four specific issues in the referendum.

Under the Representation of the People Order (RPO), 1972, the Election Commission stated in a gazette issued on 10 November that no registered political party, nominated candidate, independent candidate or any person on their behalf may begin election campaigning earlier than three weeks before polling day.

All forms of election campaigning must also end 48 hours before voting begins, according to the EC.

In a separate press release on 5 January, the commission reiterated that campaigning for the 13th parliamentary election cannot begin before 21 January.

Commenting on reports that some political parties have already begun campaigning for the referendum, EC Masud said the existing election code of conduct is primarily applicable to candidates and political parties.

"Since there are no candidates or political parties contesting the referendum directly, the law cannot be applied in exactly the same way," he said.

Nevertheless, he emphasised that holding the election and referendum on the same day makes the overall electoral environment a key consideration.

"To ensure a healthy election environment, many aspects automatically overlap," he said, adding that while the referendum has no candidates or parties, the political reality cannot be ignored.

Responding to questions on whether political parties can campaign for the referendum at this stage, the election commissioner said it would be more appropriate not to do so now.

"The reality is that two sides will inevitably form. This reality cannot be ignored. That is why it is better to avoid formal campaigning at this time," he said.

The commission also clarified that no political party, contesting candidate or any individual campaigning on their behalf will be allowed to engage in electioneering before the allocation of symbols on 21 January.

In a statement issued by EC Public Relations Director Md Ruhul Amin Mallik, the commission called on all candidates and relevant stakeholders to strictly follow the election code of conduct once symbols are allocated.

Campaigning must stop 48 hours before polling begins on 12 February, the statement added.