The New Nation - Internet Edition

Pulack Ghatack

The nation is ready for the long awaited ninth general elections to be held under a foolproof security blanket on December 29.

The Election Commission, helped by a non-party Caretaker Government, has almost concluded its arrangements for holding a peaceful and all-inclusive election.

Politicking of political parties and candidates have geared up, as the curtain will fall on the stormy election campaigns after 12.00 pm today. Voters are expected to exercise their franchise with enthusiasm and festivity in the elections.

"The election preparation is now at the final stage. Most necessary equipment for voting, including ballot papers, have already reached almost all the districts," an official of the EC told this correspondent.

To build up foolproof security for the elections, Home Ministry is going to field a total of some 1 million members of the law enforcing agencies across the country to maintain law and order during the elections.

Some 284 judicial and some 715 executive magistrates have also been appointed with the power to hold summary trials.

A total of 35,216 polling centers will be set up across the country with 177,107 polling booths for voting.

Chief Adviser of the Caretaker Government Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed and Chief Election Commissioner Dr Shamsul Huda have asked field-level government officials several times to take the highest cautionary measures to check terrorism during the elections.

They also cautioned the field-level government officials that any sort of forgery, rigging and wilful negligence would not be tolerated.

The current caretaker government since taking office on January 12, 2007, has promised to organise the general election by the end of this year.

The Election Commission completed the national voters' list with photographs and fingerprints in July this year. Over 81 million voters were registered, of which 50.9 percent are females.

The Commission further completed the registration of political parties contesting in the elections in late November and almost finalized the candidate list.

According to the commission, more than 1,500 candidates of 39 registered political parties as well as independent candidates will contest for 299 seats.

More than 500 foreign observers as well as some 182,000 local poll observers will monitor the elections.