EVM to be used from 3rd phase of UZ polls: EC secy

Election Commission Secretary Helal Uddin Ahmed today said the Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) will be used from the third phase of Upazila Parishad elections.

“EC will use EVMs in every Sadar upazila of the country in the upazila polls,” he told reporters after a meeting at the Nirbachon Bhaban.

The first phase of the five-phase upazila polls will be held in 87 upazilas on March 10, while 124 upazilas will go to polls in the second phase on March 18 and third phase election to 127 upazila parishads will be held on March 24.

EC officials said they were planning to hold the fourth phase of the election on March 31 and the fifth on June 18.

The first upazila polls were held in 1985, while the following three were held in 1990, 2009 and 2014.