EC prepares for phased local government elections from October

The Election Commission (EC) is preparing to begin phased local government elections from October, with Union Parishad (UP) and municipality elections likely to be held in the first phase.

Election Commissioner Abdur Rahmanel Machud said the commission could complete preparations within one to one-and-a-half months after formal coordination with the government begins.

Speaking in an interview at the Election Building in Dhaka, he said it could take about a year to complete all local government elections in phases.

Machud said elections at almost every level of local government are currently pending and need to be completed in phases to maintain constitutional and legal continuity. Although the commission has not formally decided which polls will be held first, UP and municipality elections are considered the most likely starting point because they are important for the formation of Upazila Parishads.

He said the commission has already started preliminary preparations with October as the target.

The Election Commissioner said several factors will be considered before announcing the election schedule, including public examinations, religious festivals, the monsoon season, and regional communication and geographical conditions.

On coordination with the government, Machud said there has been no formal discussion or official communication so far. However, the commission is continuing preparations independently and expects to complete the remaining work within one to one-and-a-half months once official coordination begins.

He said it could take around one year to complete elections for Union Parishads, municipalities, Upazila Parishads, District Parishads, and City Corporations in phases.

Machud also said work to amend election laws, rules, and the code of conduct is nearly complete. A draft code of conduct has already been published on the Election Commission's website, and opinions have been sought from political parties, civil society, the media, and the public. The commission will review the feedback before finalising the rules.

According to the proposed changes:

• Candidate deposits for Union Parishad elections will be increased.
• Online nomination submission will not be allowed.
• Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) will not be used.
• Postal ballots will not be available.
• Campaign posters, similar to restrictions in national elections, will not be permitted.

Machud said more than 4,500 Union Parishads are currently ready for elections.

Regarding security, he said the initial plan is to deploy Police, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), and Ansar personnel. Security arrangements will be reviewed after each phase and adjusted based on experience.

Referring to the 13th National Parliament election, he said domestic and international observers, along with the media, had assessed the election as acceptable. The commission aims to maintain the same standard in the upcoming local government elections through cooperation among political parties, the administration, law enforcement agencies, the media, and voters.

Machud acknowledged that Union Parishad elections have historically experienced higher levels of violence due to local rivalries. He said the commission will introduce additional measures to reduce violence and ensure peaceful voting.

Meanwhile, Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Adviser Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir recently told parliament that the Election Commission has begun preparations for free, fair, impartial, and participatory local government elections and is taking the necessary steps to hold the polls within the scheduled timeframe.