Staff Reporter :
The Election Commission (EC) is in the final stages of preparing a revised code of conduct aimed at ensuring equal opportunity for all candidates in the upcoming national elections.
The draft, currently under internal review, is expected to introduce stricter controls on campaign spending and promote greater discipline in all forms of electioneering, including activity on social media.
Election Commissioner Md. Anwarul Islam Sarker shared the update following a meeting of the committee on constituency re-demarcation, political party registration, and election preparedness at Nirbachan Bhaban on Monday.
“The guiding principle behind the proposed code is the creation of a genuinely level playing field,” Anwarul said. “We are working on a code that ensures all candidates can campaign equally and fairly.”
He added that one of the main objectives is to reduce campaign expenditure while maintaining order throughout the electoral process.
According to the commissioner, the draft is close to completion and will be submitted to the full commission for approval before it is made public.
He further confirmed that the majority of the Election System Reform Commission’s recommendations have been incorporated into the draft, along with additional measures based on insights from previous local elections and experiences related to media oversight. “We expect this to be an excellent and effective code of conduct,” he noted.
A key feature of the new code is the inclusion of provisions to regulate campaign activity on social media-an area of increasing concern in recent elections.
“The code includes clear clauses to ensure online campaigning remains within acceptable limits,” said Anwarul, highlighting that violations would attract stringent penalties. “We are committed to strict enforcement. There will be no leniency.”
Notably, the code is expected to be finalised prior to formal consultations with political parties. When questioned about this, Anwarul played down any controversy. “We will engage with all stakeholders at the appropriate time. The ground reality will dictate how that engagement unfolds,” he said.
He also confirmed that preparations are underway with December as the likely timeframe for the national election.
However, the issue of redrawing constituency boundaries remains unresolved.
“The proposal for boundary revisions has been submitted to the government but is yet to be approved,” he said. “If the necessary legal amendments are passed, we will implement them. If not, we will proceed using the current boundaries.”
