The Election Commission has decided to hold the Rangpur City Corporation polls on December 21 this year and initiate the use of electronic voting machines (EVMs) on experimental basis.
However, the commission is yet to confirm which centres will have the EVM facility.
Helaluddin Ahmed, acting secretary of the commission, briefed reporters on the matter after a meeting at the commission in Agargaon on Tuesday.
He also said the election schedule will be announced on November 5 and the centres that will have EVM will be declared.
The Election Commission will also set up close-circuit cameras at important areas or risky voting centres based on reports from returning officers, local administration and intelligence agencies, he added.
Also Read: Rangpur city polls likely in December, EVM may be used
As the previous Rangpur City Corporation polls took place on December 20, 2012 and its first meeting was convened on March 19, 2013, the tenure of the current city corporation administration ends on March 18, 2018.
According to the commission's laws, the election of a government body must take place within 180 days before its tenures ends. Based on that, the next election of Rangpur City Corporation must take place between September 20, 2017 and March 18, 2018.
With the 11th parliamentary election tentatively scheduled to take place between December 2018 and January 2019, the Election Commission is keen to hold the six city corporation elections before starting preparations for the national election.
At present, there are about 400,000 voters in the Rangpur City Corporation. Sarfuddin Ahmed Jhantu is the current mayor of the city corporation.
The Election Commission is also planning to hold the elections of five other city corporations – Rajshahi, Barisal, Khulna, Sylhet and Gazipur – in July next year, as the tenure of these city corporations will end next year as well.
Thursday, April 25, 2024
