EC sets January 30 as polls date to two city corporations of the capital
Polls to Dhaka South City Corporation(DSCC) and Dhaka North City Corporation(DNCC) will be held on January 30, the Election Commission announced on Sunday (Dec.22).
During a press briefing at the Election Commission (EC) office, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) KM Nurul Huda said electronic voting machines (EVMs) will be used in the polls instead of traditional ballot boxes.
Army will not be deployed in the polls, he added. However, two armed forces men will be deployed to oversee technical matters of EVM.
Other four election commissioners, Mahbub Talukdar, Rafiqul Islam, Kabita Khanam, Brig Gen (Retd.) Shahadat Hossain Chowdhury and Senior Secretary of EC Md. Alamgir were also present at the press briefing.
The last date for submitting nomination papers is December 31 and the last date for withdrawal of candidacy is January 9. The EC will scrutinize nomination papers on January 2.
CEC KM Nurul Huda, in the press briefing, also requested the voters to turn up to the polling centers. We will ensure security so that you can return home safely after casting your votes, CEC said.
Responding to a question, he said there was no scope of thinking that the EC works for any particular political party. The elections will be competitive and open for all, he assured.
The CEC also said that the incumbent mayors of the city corporations would have to resign from their posts for taking part in the upcoming polls.
According to the EC, the two city corporations have over 54.02 lakh voters -- 30.35 lakh in DNCC and 23.67 lakh in DSCC -- to cast their votes in the elections.
Along with electing the mayors, DNCC voters will also elect 54 ward councilors and 18 reserved women councilors while DSCC voters will elect 75 ward councilors and 25 reserved women councilors.
EC joint secretary Abul Kashem has been appointed Returning Officer of DNCC while EC joint secretary Abdul Baten has been appointed Returning Officer for DSCC. Commissioner of Dhaka Division has been appointed appellate authority for the city polls.
Meanwhile, a statement of the ruling Awami League read that the party would sell nomination forms to aspirants for mayoral positions from December 25 to December 27. The forms will be available at the AL president’s Dhanmondi office.
On the other hand, the BNP is likely to participate in the polls, said the party leaders.
The BNP standing committee would make a final decision on joining the Dhaka city polls, said BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir in November.