EC postpones gazette of by-election results

The election commission (EC) has decided to postpone publishing the gazette notification of the results of by-election in Brahmanbaria-2 and Lakshmipur-3 constituencies of the 11th parliament and investigate the allegations of irregularities in polling.

EC secretary Md Jahangir Alam told this to newspersons on Tuesday afternoon.

The voting in the two constituencies was held on Sunday. The returning officers have already announced the results. But there have been allegations of stuffing ballots in the open in several polling centres of the two constituencies. Several media ran reports in this regard too.

In this context, the election commission has taken the decision.

EC secretary Md Jahangir Alam stated to newspersons that a new section has been added to the amended Representation of the People Order (RPO) this year. It clearly states that the election commission will take into cognisance any reasonable data and information postponing the publication of a gazette notification even if the returning officer announces the results of voting and will investigate it. The commission will take decisions as per the investigation report. The law has given this jurisdiction to the EC, he added.

The EC secretary further said some data and information regarding a polling centre of Lakshmipur-3 and Brahmanbaria-2 constituencies each was reported in the media in the last two days. The commission has been analysing those. The EC has directed the concerned deputy commissioner, police super and district election official to verify the authenticity of the information. The commission will take a decision after receiving the report of their investigation. TIll then the results of the two constituencies will remain postponed, he added.