Polls schedule likely today

The Election Commission is likely to announce the schedule for the 12th parliamentary polls this evening.

The EC may also announce that ballot papers will be sent to the polling stations on the morning of the election day, and deputy commissioners and divisional commissioners will act as returning officers, instead of EC officials, something that had earlier been planned.

More than one election commissioner also said they were unlikely to set up CCTV cameras in any polling centres. Monitoring so many feeds would be tough, they said.

While preparing its work plan for the national polls in September 2022, the EC had said it would install CCTV cameras in all polling centres.

Two election commissioners and EC sources yesterday said the commissioners would meet at 5:00pm today to finalise the schedule, and Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Habibul Awal is likely to unveil the details in a televised address to the nation afterwards.

Asked, EC spokesperson and Secretary Jahangir Alam yesterday said he would have a press briefing at 10:00am today about when and how the schedule would be announced.

He said that traditionally the CEC announces the schedule in an address to the nation. "The tradition will continue… ."

Asked about US Assistant Secretary Donald Lu's letter to the Awami League, BNP, and Jatiya Party, urging talks without any conditions, he said the letter would have no bearing on the EC announcing the schedule. 

"The commission is not aware whether it is a letter urging dialogue because the commission did not get the letter," he told reporters at his office.

The EC is going to announce the schedule amid political turmoil in which the ruling party seems adamant about having the election with the AL government in power while the BNP and Jamaat are enforcing blockades demanding the government's resignation, reconstitution of the EC, and polls under a caretaker government.

While speaking to this newspaper, two commissioners said they were likely to decide that the ballot papers would be sent to the polling centres on the morning of the election day, except hard-to-reach polling stations.

Citing a lack of manpower, top law enforcement officials during a meeting on October 30 spoke in favour of sending the ballot papers a day ahead.

Election officials told this paper that Border Guard Bangladesh and Rab personnel could be employed to send the ballots on election day. The personnel in two or three groups would be able to carry the ballots to the polling centres before the voting opens, they said.

Election Commissioner Anisur Rahman said, "Once the polls schedule is announced, it'll be known when exactly the ballots will be delivered to the polling stations."

Election officials said the chances of appointing EC officials as returning officers, as the EC had planned before, were slim as the BNP- and Jamaat-enforced blockades have changed the political scenario with which deputy and divisional commissioners should be more experienced.

The EC officials said that following the announcement of the schedule, they would issue a public notification and appoint returning officers and assistant returning officers. The ROs with the assistance of the AROs will do all the necessary work to conduct the election. They will have the legal powers, under the electoral laws, to ensure a free and fair election.

The EC would also send a demi-official letter to the cabinet division, seeking assistance in conducting the election and asking that field-level government officers are not transferred until the results are published.

With the announcement of the polls schedule, the electoral code of conduct would take effect, EC officials said.

Campaigning will start only after the deadline for withdrawal of candidature expires.

Ministers and lawmakers would not be able to use government vehicles or enjoy other facilities while carrying out campaign-related work. They are also not allowed to make any donations to any institutions from public funds.

The government would not be allowed to approve or inaugurate any development project to woo voters.

The EC would issue directives, with a deadline, to potential candidates to remove their posters, placards, banners, and billboards from public spaces.

As part of the preparations for the announcement of the schedule, the commission met President Mohammed Shahabuddin on November 9. It also held meetings with Chief Justice Obaidul Hassan and the heads of the law enforcement agencies and ministries.

The commission last week updated the voter list with 11,96,91,633 voters. It primarily estimated that about Tk 1,445 crore would be needed to hold the polls.

The election could be held on any day between January 6 and 9, EC sources said.