Dhaka city polls: EC against transferring election officials

The Election Commission (EC) today wrote to the cabinet division secretary not to transfer election-related officials without prior permission ahead of Dhaka north and south city corporation elections scheduled for January 30.

Citing clause of the respective law, the commission in the letter said no official of the constitutional body would be transferred within 15 days of publishing gazette of the elections result.

EC’s Senior Secretary Md Alamgir said in the letter that returning and assistant returning officers have already been appointed to conduct the elections.

Divisional Commissioner also has been appointed as the appellate authority in dealing with candidates’ appeals against returning officers’ decision in rejection of candidacy or any other issues, Alamgir said in the letter.

According to the needs, presiding, assistant presiding and polling officers have also been appointed from different government and non-government organisations to conduct the polls in a free and fair manner, he said.

Apart from this, the required number of magistrates, members of different law enforcement agencies and teachers from different government and government-approved educational institutions have already been given charges for holding the election smoothly, he said.

Voting at all centres of the two city corporations will be held with electronic voting machines (EVMs).

The last date for submitting nomination papers is December 31 and the last date for withdrawal of candidatures is January 9.

The EC will scrutinise nomination papers on January 2.

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 councillors and 18 reserved women councillors while DSCC voters will elect 75 ward councillors and 25 reserved women councillors.