The Election Commission has issued the Upazila Election Conduct Rules 2024 with amendments in several cases including increasing the security deposit amount.
As per the new rules, to contest for the Upazila Parishad chairman post, a security deposit of Tk1,00,000 has to be paid, and for the post of vice chairman, a security deposit of Tk75,000 has to be paid.
Earlier, the deposit was Tk10,000 for both posts.
A gazette was published in this regard on Tuesday.
The new rules have also amended the election period. The revised election period has been made 15 days from the announcement of the schedule to the publication of the gazette.
Also, it has added the provision of online submission of nomination papers.
As per the new election rules, proof of income tax return filing, and TIN must be mentioned along with the nomination paper.
Under the previous rules, a security deposit was forfeited if less than one-eighth of the votes cast in the election were obtained. In this case, if less than 12.5% of the votes cast, the security deposit would be forfeited.
The revised rules revised it to 15%. That is, if the candidate gets less than 15% of the votes cast in the election, the candidate's security will be forfeited.
The revised rules have brought changes in election expenses. In the previous rule, a candidate can spend personal and electoral expenses of Tk5,00,000 for 100,000 voters, Tk7,75,000 for 100,000-200,000 voters, and Tk11,00,000 lakh for upazilas with more than 200,000 voters.
In the new upazila election management rules, a candidate contesting for the post of chairman or vice-chairman can spend no more than Tk25,00,000 for election expenses and a candidate contesting for the post of “female member” can spend no more than Tk1,00,000 for election expenses.
Earlier, candidates could participate in the campaign from three weeks before the polls. This time it has been said that the campaign will start from the day of allotment of symbols. Digital and social media have also been included in the campaign.
It was also decided to eliminate the requirement for independent candidates to submit 250 voters' signatures.
As per the new rules, candidates can make colored posters and banners in addition to black and white.
EC will conduct elections of 481 Upazila Parishads in four phases next May.
The first phase of voting will be held on May 4, the second phase on May 11, the third phase on May 18 and the fourth phase on May 25.