The Election Commission has said the fourth phases of the Union Parishad (UP) election were held relatively in a better atmosphere than the previous three phases.

"It is a matter of sorrow that some untoward and stray incidents took place in the fourth phase polls. Otherwise , the polls were held in a peaceful manner," Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmed said at a post-polls press conference at EC secretariat in Dhaka.

Based on information from the EC's monitoring cell and the mass media, preventive measures were taken in the electoral areas. As a result, number of criminal violence was less than the previous three phases of election.

"We are expecting that the next two phases of the union parishad polls will be held in more peaceful manner," the CEC hoped.

The EC ordered for stopping voting in at least 51 centres out of 6,727 due to illegal influence by the local leaders in the electoral area, he added.

Due to this, voting in a total of 16 UPs in Bagmara upazila of Rajshahi was postponed, the CEC said.