The Election Commission (EC) yesterday said that there is no scope of political parties holding talks with EC before the next parliamentary election.

Replying to a query, EC Secretary Helal Uddin Ahmed told journalists that election schedule for the 11th parliamentary election will be announced on October 30 or in the first week of November.

“The Election Commission is taking preparations for holding election, keeping in mind it will be held by the end of December,” he said.

Ahmed said that 80 percent of the preparation is complete.

He was talking to journalists after a meeting of the election commissioners held at the commission's Agargaon office in Dhaka, presided over by Chief Election Commissioner KM Nurul Huda.

Ahmed said that the voter list has been finalised, draft list of polling centres has been published for the next parliamentary election, and this time 5,000 more voting centres will be added.

“If any stakeholder has any complaint about the draft list of polling centres, it will be resolved through a proper way,” he said.

Replying to another query, the EC secretary said that Bangladesh JSD has applied for reviewing their registration, the commission has accepted it, and investigation is underway.

He also said in the meeting, the commissioners discussed the “Forum of the Election Management Bodies of South Asia” conference that will be held on September 5 and 6 in Dhaka.

Speaker of the parliament Shirin Sharmin Choudhury will inaugurate the conference where chief election commissioners or representatives of Saarc countries will be present.