Poll schedule for president to come on time

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) A M M Nasir Uddin said that the Election Commission (EC) will announce the schedule for the presidential election after making a final decision at an EC meeting.

“The schedule for the presidential election will be announced in due course once the Commission takes a final decision at its meeting,” he said while holding a meeting on Tuesday with Jatiya Sangsad Acting Speaker Barrister Kayser Kamal.

The CEC held a meeting with Kayser Kamal on presidential election.
“But the exact date of the presidential election has yet to be fixed,” he said.

The CEC said nomination papers for the presidential election will be submitted to the EC, which will act as the returning officer.

Under the Presidential Election Act, 1991, the Election Commission is required to consult the Speaker before announcing the schedule for the presidential election.

If Parliament is not in session, the Commission, in consultation with the Speaker, must convene a meeting of Members of Parliament at least seven days before the election.

As part of the process, the Jatiya Sangsad Secretariat will send the list of MPs to the EC, which will prepare and publish the electoral roll for the presidential election before announcing the schedule.

According to Article 123(2) of the Constitution, an election to fill the vacant office of the President must be held within 90 days of the post becoming vacant due to resignation.

On July 24, Mohammed Shahabuddin resigned from the office of the President, and Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad assumed the responsibilities of Acting President.

Asked whether there had been any further discussion on the Satkhira-4 constituency, the CEC said, “No discussion was held on that matter. We discussed only the presidential election.”