Staff Reporter :
The Election Commission (EC) will hold internal discussions before forming an opinion on Chief Adviser Dr Muhammad Yunus’s proposal to hold the national parliamentary election and the referendum on the July National Charter on the same day in February.
Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) AMM Nasir Uddin said on Thursday that the commission would wait for official communication of the plan before making any remarks or decisions.
“Once we are formally informed of the matter, we will exercise our options and discuss it in the commission to arrive at an opinion,” he told reporters after a round of talks with six political parties at the EC headquarters in Agargaon, Dhaka. “At this moment, it would not be appropriate to comment.”
Earlier in the day, Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus, in a nationally televised address at 2:30pm, announced that the 13th parliamentary elections—scheduled for the first half of February—and the referendum on implementing the July Charter would be conducted simultaneously.
The July Charter, endorsed by major political and civic groups following the July Revolution, proposes a broad package of constitutional and institutional reforms, including limits on executive power and mechanisms for
transparency and accountability.
Reacting to Yunus’s statement, the CEC said he had not yet had the opportunity to study the proposal in detail. “I haven’t had the chance to hear his speech. I was in a meeting here.
Without knowing exactly what he said or what the proposal entails, it wouldn’t be right to make any remarks,” Nasir said.
He added that the EC would evaluate the proposal carefully once it is officially communicated. “We will deliberate on it in the commission and provide our opinion through formal channels,” he said.
Consultations with political parties continue Thursday’s meeting at the EC headquarters was part of an ongoing series of consultations with registered political parties regarding electoral preparations and reforms under the interim administration.
According to officials, the EC has been assessing logistical, legal, and administrative aspects of holding a national referendum in coordination with a general election for the first time in the country’s history.
Several party representatives attending Thursday’s meeting reportedly sought clarity from the commission on how two parallel votes would be managed on the same day, including ballot design, counting procedures, and legal consistency with the Representation of the People Order (RPO).
EC sources said preliminary discussions within the commission will focus on whether existing electoral laws allow simultaneous voting for two separate mandates and what procedural adjustments would be required if the plan proceeds.
Officials said the commission will convene shortly to examine the chief adviser’s address and determine the constitutional and operational implications of holding both polls together.
“We will first need to see the legal framework, the technical capacity, and the readiness of our field administration,” one senior EC official said.
The Election Commission had earlier announced that preparations for the parliamentary election were at an advanced stage, with constituency updates and training programs for polling officials already underway.
While the EC has yet to receive any formal instruction regarding the referendum, senior officials said they are open to “constructive coordination” with the interim government once details are available.
The commission’s formal opinion on the matter is expected after its internal meeting next week.
