Election Commission to Announce National Poll Schedule in Second Week of December

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) AMM Nasir Uddin announced today (November 29) that the Election Commission (EC) is set to announce the schedule for the upcoming national election and referendum both slated for February in the second week of December.

The announcement followed the CEC's inspection of a mock voting exercise conducted at Sher e Bangla Nagar Government Girls High School. The mock vote, running from 8 am to 12 pm with 510 participating voters, was organized to test the functionality of an "ideal polling center" and to ensure a smooth, participatory, and credible process.

The EC is using the exercise to assess critical logistical details, including: Time Management: Crucial given that the referendum will be held alongside the election. Efficiency: Observing voter queues, polling officer activities, and the overall process to identify gaps and improve efficiency.

Polling Center Sufficiency: Determining if the planned 42,500 polling centers are adequate or if expansion (which would require additional staff, ballot boxes, and logistics) is necessary. The CEC also clarified key details about the referendum: although it contains four proposals, voters will be limited to a simple 'Yes' or 'No' choice, as partial selections are not allowed because the questions are legally bundled and politically determined.

Regarding the security situation, CEC Nasir noted that while law and order is never perfect, the overall situation has improved significantly. The EC is working closely with law enforcement agencies to maintain a much calmer security environment ahead of the polls.