Ruling Awami League lawmaker from Natore-2 Safiqul Islam Shimul yesterday apologised for violating electoral code of conduct and pledged to refrain from doing such activities in future.

In reply to the Election Commission's show-cause notice, he offered his apology in a letter.

On Sunday, the EC served the show-cause notice on three lawmakers, including Shimul, for violating electoral code.

The EC also asked them to respond within three days which expires today.

Flouting electoral rules, Shimul accompanied party mayor hopeful Uma Chowdhury in Natore Sadar municipality during the filing of her nomination papers before the returning officer on December 3.

Additional Deputy Commissioner Atiar Rahman was acting as the returning officer for Natore Sadar municipality polls.

"On that day, I went to the office of the deputy commissioner for personal reasons. When I was about to leave the office, Uma Chowdhury went there to submit nomination," he claimed.

"Following the request from party leaders and activists there, I accompanied Uma while she submitted her nomination papers."

"It was an unintentional mistake. I offer my apology for that and I will try to refrain from getting involved in such activities in future," he stated in the letter addressed to the secretary of EC Secretariat.

Two other MPs -- MA Malek (Dhaka-20) and Shawkat Hasnur Rahman (Barguna-2) -- are yet to respond to the show-cause notices.

Malek too accompanied AL-nominated mayor candidate in Dhaka's Dhamrai municipality while the aspirant was submitting his nomination on December 3.

Shawkat, on the other hand, carried the party's nomination letter issued to the AL-endorsed candidate in Barguna's Betagi municipality to the aspirant from Dhaka in a helicopter the same day, according to media reports.

The electoral code of conduct prevents MPs from joining any sort of election activities.

Meanwhile, the EC yesterday formed a two-member committee, led by one of its deputy secretaries, to look into the allegations of violation of electoral code of conduct being reported in the media.

"The committee will check media reports on violation of electoral rules. After analysing the reports and seeing the real situation on the ground, the committee will submit its evaluation report to the commissioners," Shamsul Alam, deputy secretary of the EC Secretariat told The Daily Star.

Besides, the committee will look into the allegations of any irregularities during the municipality polls and will inform the commissioners.

CAMPAIGN BEGINS TODAY

The contesting candidates are set to start their election campaign officially from today.

As per the electoral rules, candidates cannot campaign until three weeks before the voting day.

However, the EC is yet to take decision whether mayoral aspirants, nominated by political parties, will be allowed to campaign with party symbol before December 14.

Political party-nominated candidates already know their symbols. But the independent candidates do not know their symbols yet, and they will be allocated symbols on December 14. So, the party-nominated candidates might gain an advantage over the independents, said EC officials.

The EC would decide on this today, the officials added.

Elections to 234 municipalities will be held on December 30, marking the start of the country's first local government polls on party lines.