EC decides to dispatch ballot papers on 7 Jan morning

The Election Commission has decided to send ballot papers to polling centers on the morning of the election day, 7 January next year.

In a notification issued on Monday, the EC outlined security arrangements for the transportation and distribution of essential election materials.

It said, "Security arrangements will be made for the transportation and distribution of election materials and ballot papers will be sent to the polling stations on the morning of the polling day."

Former Election Commissioner Brig Gen (retd) M Sakhawat Hossain has welcomed the move, stating that the decision holds great potential in curbing election irregularities and probably controversy like that in 2018.

He noted that the improved nationwide communication infrastructure will allow EC to send ballots in the morning to most polling centers. The exception would be centers in remote areas, where ballots might need to be dispatched before the voting day.

"There is a rule that the official seal needs to be applied on the back of the ballot paper in front of the voters. But the election officials made customs to do this the night before the vote, to advance work, which is unfair. EC's new move will cut the practice."

However, in early November, the field administrators, including deputy commissioners and superintendents of police, have expressed concerns over security challenges in sending ballots on the morning of the election day due to a manpower shortage.

During election training conducted by the Election Commission, they pointed out that a significant number of police personnel are engaged in maintaining law and order on the election day, having been on duty from the day before the polls. This creates a manpower crisis, making it challenging to guarantee security during the transportation of ballot papers in the morning.

But on Monday, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kazi Habibul Awal said, "There was demand for this from many, and this will increase transparency."

Awal also said, "We had decided long ago that the ballot papers would be sent in the morning as far as possible before polling starts. We have given it a lot of thought.

"However… it will not be possible to send the papers [in the morning] to remote areas or where we have to go by water. Besides, it will not be possible in the islands. For this, I have issued a circular regarding sending the ballot papers in the morning before polling. For remote areas, helicopters will be used."

Officials said the move would help avoid "allegations or controversy" over voting taking place at night instead of election day.

Last year, during a dialogue with the EC, Jatiya Party General Secretary Mujibul Haque Chunnu raised the issue of ballot boxes allegedly being filled with fake votes on the night before the 11st national election.

"We are proposing that the ballot paper be delivered on the morning of the election day. This way there would not be any issue of filling ballot boxes the night before," he said.

Meanwhile, the EC notification also emphasised that security measures must be rigorously enforced during the transport of election materials, including ballot papers and ballot boxes, from the Election Commission Secretariat to various levels—district, upazila, and polling stations.

Besides, coordination with law enforcers, particularly the SPs, was mandated to ensure comprehensive security.

Moreover, the EC Secretariat is directed to draft specialised security plans for material transportation at divisional, regional, or district levels as needed.

Similar precautionary measures are expected to be in place for the transportation and distribution of materials between divisions/regions, districts, and upazilas.