The Election Commission says 59.47% voters turned up in the sixth phase elections to 13 upazilas held on May 19.
The commission also plans to hold elections to five more upazila parishads in the next phase on June 25 and is likely to announce the polls schedule within a day or two.
According to reports sent by the upazila returning officers of the sixth phase elections, 551,708 voters out of 1,097,311 cast votes in the polls. A total of 42,185 votes were cancelled in these polls.
The highest 78.23% voters cast votes in Comilla Sadar (south) upazila and the lowest 48.67% turnout was recorded in Gazipur Sadar upazila.
Voter turnout in the by-election to the chairman post of Tarakanda upazila in Mymensingh was 48.43%.
The third upazila parishad polls in 2009 saw 67% voter turnout.
Voters’ presence in the fifth phase polls to 73 upazilas was 60.83%; in the fourth phase, it was 56.12%; in the third phase polls to 81 upazilas 63.52%; in the second phase polls to 116 upazilas 63.31%; and in the first phase polls to 97 upazilas it was 62.44%.
Election Commission officials yesterday said they wanted to hold the seventh phase polls before Ramadan. The five upazilas that will have elections are Mehadiganj in Barisal, Atpara in Netrakona, Nokla in Sherpur, Madaripur Sadar and Banchharampur in Brahmanbaria.
The commission proposed May 29 as the last date for filing nomination papers and May 31 for scrutinising the papers. The last date for withdrawing nomination is likely to be June 8. The returning officer will allocate election symbols to candidates on June 9.
The EC has so far held elections to 471 upazilas out of 487.
The commission had earlier announced election to newly formed Noldanga upazila in Natore for June 9 and Rangabali in Patuakhali June 19. Polls to Noakhali Sadar upazila and six others were postponed.
EC officials said Noakhali Sadar upazila might be included in the seventh phase polls.
