The Election Commission is expected to announce the schedule of the sixth phase of the upazila polls today, just a day after Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmad resumed office after a one and a half month long personal visit to the US.
The CEC joined office yesterday and called a full commission meeting today to discuss several agendas, including the poll schedule of the sixth phase of upazila parishads elections and the recruitment ordinance of EC officials and employees, among others.
An EC deputy secretary told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday: “We have already prepared the working papers of 21 upazila parishads for the sixth phase, keeping the polls date on the last week of May. The polls schedule of these upazilas can be declared in the middle of April. But, the commission is expected to decide on when to announce the polls schedule of these upazilas at the meeting.”
Rakibuddin, who went on a leave on March 3 amid speculations that he had resigned from his post during the fourth upazila parishads elections, returned home from the US yesterday.
EC officials said the CEC joined at his office at around 9:00am and then he held discussions with the four election commissioners.
Besides, elections at 169 polling stations of Thakurgoan sadar upazila were to be held today, having been postponed on March 30 following a High Court stay order. The poll was expected to be held on March 31 with the fifth phase upazila parishad polls.
For the polls, the commission issued a letter appointing six EC officials to formulate its own election observer team.
The EC issued a circular yesterday to announce that the polls of Boalkhali municipal election will be held on May 21.
According to the circular, the last date for filing nominations is April 24 and the nomination will be scrutinised on April 27. The last date for withdrawing nominations is May 5.