Referendum ballots will feature distinct colours, voters can also cast postal votes: Law adviser
A gazette on the draft Referendum Ordinance 2025 will be issued by tomorrow, he says
Referendum ballots will be printed in different colours to make the voting process easier for voters, Law Adviser Asif Nazrul said today (25 November).
Speaking at a press conference at the Foreign Service Academy, the adviser said the gazette notification on the draft Referendum Ordinance 2025 will be published by tomorrow.
Earlier in the morning, the Advisory Council, chaired by Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus, gave final approval to the ordinance in a special meeting.
Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel
The law adviser noted that the referendum will take place on the same day as the national election, with a separate ballot system at each polling centre. "This will allow voters to cast two significant votes on the same day."
He also said that the introduction of postal ballots will enable those unable to attend polling stations due to professional or personal reasons to exercise their constitutional rights.
"The government is preparing a large-scale awareness campaign on the referendum, with the Election Commission, Ministry of Culture, Ministry of Information and the Chief Adviser's Press Wing working jointly," Asif Nazrul said.
The campaign will aim to inform citizens about the referendum process, its importance, and how to use postal ballots, he added.
According to the referendum notification regarding voters, the voter list prepared for the national election will serve as the same list for the referendum.
The voter list containing the names of eligible voters for each polling centre, supplied by the Assistant Returning Officer to the Presiding Officer for the election, will be used for the referendum.
Those who are valid voters for the national election will be eligible to vote in the referendum.
Regarding the time of the referendum, it states that the voting hours of the election will be the same for the referendum.
The referendum will be held by secret ballot, and each voter will cast their vote using a single ballot determined by the commission. The referendum ballot will be separate and of a different colour from the ballot of the election.
Earlier, on 13 November, the chief adviser announced in a national address that a referendum would be held alongside the national election scheduled for the first half of February next year.
Voters will cast a "Yes" or "No" vote on a single question covering four collective constitutional reform proposals derived from the July National Charter (Constitutional Reform) Order 2025 and constitutional reform proposals included in the July Charter.
4 proposals to be placed in referendum
The referendum ballot will present one comprehensive question to voters: "Do you approve the implementation of the July National Charter [Constitutional Reform] Ordinance, 2025, and the following reform proposals recorded in the July National Charter?" (Yes/No).
The question will include four key points:
a) During the election periods, caretaker government, election commission, and other constitutional bodies will be formed in accordance with the procedures outlined in the July Charter.
b) The next parliament will be bicameral (two chambers). A 100-member upper house will be formed based on the proportion of votes each party receives in the national election, and any constitutional amendment will require the approval of a majority of upper house members.
c) The political parties have reached a consensus on 30 reform proposals included in the July Charter, covering areas such as increasing women's representation in parliament, electing the deputy speaker and parliamentary committee chairs from the opposition, limiting the prime minister's tenure, enhancing the president's powers, expanding fundamental rights, ensuring judicial independence, and strengthening local government. The winning parties in the upcoming election will be obliged to implement these agreed reforms.
d) Other reforms described in the July Charter will be implemented in line with the commitments made by political parties.
