More than 1,000 applications from voters, MPs and local representatives on the new delimitations of parliamentary constituencies has been submitted to the Election Commission (EC) in the last couple of months.
Since its mass hearings on the draft delimitations was concluded, the EC has been receiving an average of 30 to 40 applications every day. While some letters demand that the draft be finalised immediately, others call for the delimitations of 2008 elections to be restored, EC officials say.
The EC is likely to finalise the draft delimitation of parliamentary constituencies in June as set out in the demarcation laws. EC Officials say these applications can no longer impact the draft.
“We heard all the demands and objections regarding the draft during the hearing sessions,” Election Commissioner M Shah Newaz said.
“We will publish a gazette of the final demarcations next month after reviewing everything,” he added.
The commission’s decisions on the demands placed in the mass hearings will be incorporated into the final demarcation, officials say. But the applications that came in later will not be considered.
On February 6, the EC proposed changes in the boundaries of 88 parliamentary constituencies in 28 districts. It held mass hearings on demands and objections regarding the draft of new demarcations from April 23 to May 12.
Notable objections include applicants from Kurigram 3 and Kurigram 4 who alleged that an election commissioner had redesigned a constituency in favour of his family members.
State minister for LGRD ministry and MP of Dhaka 13, Jahangir Kabir Nanak, MP of Dhaka 15, Kamal Ahmed Majumder and Dhaka 14 MP Aslamul Haque demanded that the delimitations of their parliamentary constituencies be restored to those of 2008.
Rashed Khan Menon of Dhaka 8, Mostafa Jalal Mohiuddin of Dhaka 7 and Nasrul Hamid of Dhaka 3 also made similar demands.
Representatives of Siddhirganj, Sonargaon and Sadar upazila of Narayanganj on the other hand urged the EC to finalise the draft and publish it immediately.
