Amid all the concerns about the shape of the polls-time government and uncertainties regarding the polls, the Election Commission has nearly completed procuring half of the materials needed for holding the polls.
EC officials said about 40% of the election materials have reached the commission until late last week. They said the remaining 60% would arrive by October 24.
They also said the necessary materials for the 4th upazila elections would starting coming to the commission by December, they said.
A senior EC official, seeking anonymity, said although the two major parties were yet to come to a consensus and the work for formulating a full-fledged code of conduct was still to be completed, the EC could not wait for that.
He said the EC wanted to follow the constitution to the point and that was why it had begun procuring the election materials so that it can be fully prepared even if there was no election.
Officials concerned said the printing of forms, packages and manuals was at its last stages. Other stationery materials such as different kinds of seals have already reached the commission and stump pads would reach by October 24.
The ballot boxes, indelible inks and pens, bought under the UNDP assisted SEMB project of the EC, are supposed to reach any day.
The EC is planning to hold the upazila elections after holding the national elections. The last upazila elections were held in 2009.
