The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, Dhaka

Elections to Rajshahi, Khulna, Barisal and Sylhet City Corporations and eight municipalities are likely to be delayed till July next, as the proposed law to regulate the local bodies could not yet be finalised.

"We were supposed to hold the elections (four city corporations and eight municipalities) by May 27… But we can't declare the schedules since the new law could not be finalised yet," Chief Election Commissioner Dr ATM Shamsul Huda yesterday told a Gono Forum delegation led by party chairman Dr Kamal Hossain.

"The HSC examination, which is scheduled to begin on May 29, also needs to be taken into account," he said, adding, "So, it seems that the elections might be delayed by a few days more."

The Gono Forum delegation voluntarily met the EC to discuss the electoral reforms. Election Commissioner Sohul Hussain and Brig Gen (retd) M Sakhawat Hussain were present at the meeting.

Apart from the suggestions from the EC-selected 17 political parties, the EC is also ready to welcome suggestions from other political parties on the electoral reforms either in written or through informal talks.

Some 45 days, starting form the announcement of the election schedule to the poll date, are required to hold an election, sources in the EC said, adding that at least 15 days should be given to the aspiring election candidates to file their nomination papers.

Another five days are needed for scrutiny and canceling the nomination papers, filing any appeal against the cancellation, withdrawing and hearing the appeal as well as withdrawing the candidature.

The sources said election candidates need at least 15 days for their electioneering after the withdrawal of the nominations and sometimes they need up to 21 days.

Yet, the sources said, the new law that would regulate the local bodies would require some days for formulating the necessary rules.

"If all these factors are taken into account, it becomes clear that the Commission won't be able to hold elections to the four city corporations and eight municipalities before July next. And the HSC examination that would begin on May 29 will continue throughout June," one of the EC officials calculated.

The EC, in its election roadmap announced on July 15 last year, targeted that the local body elections would be held throughout the timeframe of January to October this year.

Later, the EC announced that elections to Rajshahi, Khulna, Barisal and Sylhet City corporations and eight municipalities would be held either in March or April.

Later, they shifted the possible election time to May due to the delay in finalising the new law. Now, the EC is again stepping back form the May timeframe, which CEC Huda himself indicated today (Wednesday).

Earlier on March 19, CEC Huda said the election roadmap would not be disturbed even if the local body elections are delayed by one or two months since holding the national elections is the EC's main target.

About declaring the schedules for the city corporation and municipality elections at the end of March, as decided by the EC, the CEC then said he cannot announce the election schedules until he gets the concerned law in hand.

"When the gazette notification of the law would be in my hand, then I' shall think about announcing the schedules," he told reporters.