Local polls by June not feasible, national polls set for Dec

Staff Reporter :

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) AMM Nasir Uddin announced on Monday that it is not feasible to hold local government elections by June, as the Election Commission’s primary focus remains on preparing for the national elections, targeted for December.

Speaking at an event at the Election Training Institute in Agargaon, Dhaka, CEC Nasir highlighted the critical task of updating the voter list, a process expected to be completed by June.

The commission chief highlighted that the ongoing voter list update, which aims to remove 1.6 million deceased voters and include 3.5 million new voters, is expected to be completed by June.

“The completion of the voter list update is fundamental for preparing for any election,” Nasir said, noting that holding elections without a finalized voter list would be imprudent.

The Election Commission’s decision follows concerns raised by the Local Government Reform Commission, which had suggested that local government elections could be held by June. Nasir pointed out that such a timeline would require bypassing the voter list update, a step that would compromise the integrity of the electoral process.

“We are confident that the necessary political and social conditions will be met in time for December’s elections,” he said, emphasizing the Commission’s commitment to conducting transparent elections.

He emphasised that the commission’s target is to announce the election schedule in October, aiming for national elections in December.

The CEC refrained from further commenting on the reform commission’s recommendations, noting that they are entitled to their perspective.

He stressed that the Election Commission seeks to avoid political debates and is focused on completing the voter list update.

In response to concerns about the current law and order situation, Nasir expressed confidence that stability would be restored by December, ensuring an environment conducive to free and fair elections.