The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

The Election Commission is going to take the initiative for delimitation of election areas with a view to reducing discrimination of voters in different constituencies.

Election Commissioner Muhammad Sohul Hossain said while talking to journalists at his office yesterday.

He, however, said that the EC is yet to decide whether the delimitation will be in all 300 constituencies or in the constituencies constituted with minimum and maximum number of voters.

The Commission will take a decision soon in this regard, he added. Sohul Hossain said the EC is likely to increase the expense ceiling of the candidates during the Parliament elections.

The increase of election expense of the candidates is being considered in view of the number of voters and geographical aspects of the constituencies, he said.

He observed that the ceiling of election expense should be increased at least in some areas as the election expense increases due to the differences of population and geographical location of the constituencies.

Referring to the differences of number of voters, he said there are some constituencies where the number of voters over six lakh whereas in some constituencies the number of voters below two lakh.

The Election Commissioner said the Commission in its electoral reforms did not propose increase of expense ceiling of the candidates. The expense limit for a candidate kept unchanged at the amount to Tk 5,00,000 in line with the existing election law, he said.

In this context, he mentioned that the Islami Oikya Jote leaders during their talks with the Commission on Wednesday proposed increase of election expense from Tk 5,00,000 to Tk 25,00,000 for each candidate.

Replying to a question Sohul Hossain said the Commission now is hearing the statements of the political parties on the electoral reforms and decision would be taken after completion of the dialogue. The Commission will not argue with the political parties but explanation on any topic will be given if they want, he said.