The Election Commission (EC) has proposed Tk600 crore as possible expenditure for the ninth union parishad elections to be held in 4,500 unions.
Of the total amount, the EC proposed Tk250 crore for election management including expenses for polling centres and ballot boxes, and allowances of polling officials, and Tk350 crore for maintenance of law and order, including deploying police, RAB, BGB, Coast Guard, Ansar, VDP, and executive and judicial magistrates.
In the eighth union parishad polls, the cost was Tk250 crore.
EC Senior Assistant Secretary Enamul Haque said: “Although a certain amount was allotted in this fiscal year’s budget for the union polls, it is inadequate. We need a total of Tk600 crore and have already informed the Finance Ministry of our requirement. They will sort it out soon.”
The commission has already sent the proposed budget to the ministry. It has also sent to the Law Ministry two draft guidelines on electoral code of conduct for vetting.
“After getting the Law Ministry’s approval by February 10-12, we will announce the schedule of elections. Polls will be held by March,” said Election Commissioner Md Zabed Ali.
The Local Government Ministry on Thursday sent to the EC a list of 774 union parishads where elections will be held in the first phase.
“The commission is now examining the list. Then we will wait for the ministry’s approval before announcing the polls schedule,” said Shamsul Alam, deputy secretary at the commission’s election management department.
Election officials said officials at the field level would be asked to send the lists of probable polling centres within five days after the announcement of polls schedule.
