The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

Election Commission (EC) has ruled out any possibility of deferring upazila polls considering the changed political situation. Talking to reporters, Election Commissioner Brig Gen (Retd) M Sakhawat Hossain yesterday said the Commission confidently goes ahead preparing to hold the upazila elections on schedule.

"The forthcoming upazila elections will be held as per the schedule declared by the Commission on January 22 as the date for voting," he said adding, the date for upazila election is already fixed and there is no scope for changing it.

Asked whether the Commission would defer the polls if the incoming government led by Awami League requests, he said the Commission might not consider such request.

Sakhawat Hossain justified that the Commission had changed the schedule for parliamentary elections several times to ensure participation of all political parties but this should not be necessary in the upazila polls.

He, however, said that the local government would conduct the upazila polls according to the direction of the Commission.

"We'll only give direction in this regard," he said.

Replying to a question, he said the symbol allocation for the candidates contesting the upazila elections would be started from today. Yesterday was the last day for withdrawal of candidature.

"After withdrawal of the candidatures, the election symbols will be locally given from tomorrow (Thursday)," he said.

About the ninth parliamentary elections, the Election Commissioner said the voters exercised their franchise in a free, fair and peaceful atmosphere.

A total of 8,896 candidates have applied to contest the local polls in 481 upazilas for chairman, vice- chairman and female chairman posts.