EC unveils election preparations plan: Extra time, more booths and special voter assistance
"A circular will be issued prohibiting distribution of grants, aid, etc., in electoral areas after schedule announcement – though social safety-net programmes (such as allowances for the elderly) will not be affected," says Election Commissioner Abul Fazal Md Sanaullah.
Highlights
- Voting time extended by one hour
- Multiple 'secret booths' at every centre
- Central monitoring cell at EC to tackle misinformation and disinformation
- 300 Electoral Inquiry Committees with judicial powers at 300 seats
- All campaign materials must be removed within 48 hours after schedule announcement
- Two magistrates to be deployed at every upazila after schedule declaration
The Election Commission of Bangladesh (EC) has adopted a number of key measures in relation to the management of the upcoming parliamentary election and referendum, including extending voting hours by one hour and offering special assistance to persons with disabilities, the elderly, and pregnant women.
Following a commission meeting held today (7 December) at the EC headquarters in Agargaon chaired by Chief Election Commissioner A M M Nasir Uddin, Election Commissioner Abul Fazal Md. Sanaullah announced these decisions. All the four election commissioners, the EC Secretary, and senior officials were present at the meeting.
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Under the new voting schedule, polling will begin at 7:30am and run until 4:30pm – adding thirty minutes in the morning and thirty minutes in the afternoon.
At centres with enough space, multiple marking places (secret booths) will be set up; where expansion isn't possible, separate booths will be installed as necessary.
On expatriate and in-country postal ballots, he said that postal ballot printing for expatriates will begin today and dispatch abroad will start from tomorrow. The deadline for postal registration has been extended until 25 December. Moreover, registration for in-country postal voting will start for 15 days beginning from the day the schedule is announced, he added.
On removal and prohibition of campaign materials, Sanaullah said that stringent measures will be taken to enforce the code of conduct. Within 48 hours after the schedule is announced, all kinds of campaign materials must be removed. If not removed, action will be taken under the code of conduct, he said.
A circular will be issued prohibiting distribution of grants, aid, etc., in electoral areas after schedule announcement – though social safety-net programmes (such as allowances for the elderly) will not be affected, Sanaullah said.
Regarding administrative preparations, he said the EC is strongly discouraging election officials from accepting local assistance after they arrive at the polling centres on the night before the evoting. Appropriate budgets have been allocated to provide for the election officials, he added.
Moreover, a circular will be issued this week about deployment of law-enforcement agencies -- from static deployment up to central reserve -- for security. On the evening of the schedule announcement, there will be a Zoom meeting with district commissioners and police chiefs and in-person meetings will be held after finalising candidate lists.
On judicial powers, monitoring cell and magistrate deployment, EC Sanaullah said that the EC is taking special measures to counter electoral irregularities and fake information. For example, a central monitoring cell will be established at the EC to handle misinformation and disinformation, he elaborated. Again, across the 300 seats, 300 committees — called Electoral Inquiry Committees — will operate, and they will be given adjudicatory (judicial) powers.
Additionally, from the day after the schedule announcement, two magistrates will be deployed at each upazila or police station — increasing in number during the final five days (three days before, the day of, and day after the election), Sanaullah said.
He also said that election day will be a general holiday. In remote areas, helicopters may be used to deliver election materials, ballot papers and transport polling officials. If needed, banks and post offices will be kept open. Ballot papers will be delivered the night before voting.
On a question relating to sending ballot papers the night before voting, EC said they do not expect a recurrence of previous irregularities.
