A total of 20,773 local observers have been approved to monitor the January 7 national polls.
The Election Commission gave its approval on Thursday, Asadul Haque, assistant director (public relations) of the commission, confirmed.
Some 517 local observers from 40 registered organizations will monitor the polls centrally.
Besides, 20,256 observers of 84 local organizations have been approved to monitor the polls at the field level.
Guidelines for local observers
A committee headed by the returning officer, assistant returning officer has to be formed and after scrutiny according to the “Election Observation Policy 2023”, the approved observer organization will have to be provided with identity cards and car stickers.
For each observer approved by the Election Commission, Form EO-2 and Form EO-3, an attested copy of the SSC/ equivalent certificate, one copy of a recent passport, and one copy stamp size color photograph will have to be submitted to the returning or assistant returning officer.
The returning or assistant returning officer will prepare a list of valid observers approved by the organization-based commission after scrutinizing the information according to the “Election Observation Policy 2023” and provide them with the Election Commission's circulars and vehicle stickers.
The identity card supplied is not transferable in any way and must be displayed at all times. If an observer is an office-bearer of the central or local committee of a political party or is appointed as a polling agent by the local election agent or campaign committee, then no card will be issued by appointing them as an observer.
The election observers will be formed in a team of not more than five people. The Election Commission will provide a sticker for this purpose.
No one other than an authorized observer can travel in a car with a sticker given by the Election Commission.
The named identity card and vehicle sticker should be issued and recorded in the register and the list should be sent to the Election Commission Secretariat by January 10, 2024.
The 12th national parliamentary election will be held on January 7.
