The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

Female candidates will contest directly in their reserved seats in the local government elections like that of their male counterparts and no male candidate will be able to take part in the polls from the same areas.

The decision was taken at a meeting between the Election Commission (EC) and the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives at EC Secretariat yesterday.

According to the decision, reserve seats will be chosen under a circle system so that female candidates can contest in all the seats by turn.

The meeting, chaired by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Dr ATM Shamsul Huda, also decided that none would be able to participate in the local government election by holding important post of any political party.

If any political leader intend to contest the local body election, he or she will have to resign from political post, the CEC told reporters after the meeting.

The CEC said the Commission decided in principle to hold upazila elections under its election roadmap as the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development (LGRD) made the request.

He said the Commission is in principle decided to hold the upazila elections as per the roadmap.

On political parties' protest against holding local elections before national elections, the CEC said the Commission repeatedly said that they would follow their election roadmap where the holding of all the local-body elections has been mentioned.

The CEC said the Ministry of LGRD is considering the EC's proposal for combining the three laws of district, upazila and union parishad elections into one law.

He said the Commission will leave the UP elections as per the roadmap considering that holding election to around 5000 UPs would not be possible within the timeframe.

Adviser for LGRD M Anwarul Iqbal told reporters that the upazila elections could be held in a staggered way, as the full voter list is yet to be completed.

He discussed the relevant laws for local-body elections with the Commission as there are some reforms up and coming in the laws and rules.

Asked whether the elections would be held before or simultaneously with the parliamentary polls, he said it would decide through discussion.

"It can be held before or along with the national elections. We are determined to hold elections of the four city corporations and seven municipalities," he said.

The city corporations are-Rajshahi, Khulna, Barisal and Sylhet while the municipalities are Shariatpur, Seetakunda, Cox's Bazar, Gopalganj, Sreepur, Fulbaria and Manikganj.

Two Election Commissioners-M Sohul Hussain and Brig Gen (Retd) Muhammad Shakhawat Hossain, among others, were present during the meeting.