EC can cancel or postpone one or two centres vote

Staff Reporter
If any irregularities happen during the polls time, the Election Commission (EC) can cancel one or two centres’ vote or postpone not whole constituency’s vote, says a provision incorporated in the amended draft of an election-related ‘Representation of the People Order (RPO)’.

The amended draft was approved at the cabinet meeting on Thursday with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair. Later the cabinet secretary briefed the media on the issues of the meeting at a press conference in the secretariat.

The EC previously submitted a proposal seeking authority to cancel the entire result of the national elections in case of irregularities.
The draft law, however, did not mention anything regarding results of the election being cancelled entirely.
Briefing reporters following the meeting, Cabinet Division Secretary Md Mahmudul Hossain Khan said the approved draft law allows national election candidates to pay bank loans a day before collecting nomination papers.

Previously, candidates needed to pay bank loans seven days before collecting nomination papers.
The cabinet secretary said, “From now on, election candidates will have to attach their TIN and evidence of tax return submission with their nomination paper.”
The secretary said there was not much time left for the general election and that some sections of the Representation of the People Order were being amended before it.

Besides, if a returning officer declares a candidate’s nomination paper valid, anyone [other candidates] can file an appeal against that decision. But they will have to submit appropriate evidence supporting the appeal.

Previously, candidates could only appeal if the returning officer cancelled their nomination paper.

Moreover, the deadline for submitting the constitutions of political parties has been extended to 2030, which was 2020 in previous law.
The draft also provides for a sentence of two to seven years for obstructing media workers and observers from entering and working at any polling centre.