EC declares election schedule for reserved women seats

The Election Commission (EC) has declared the election schedule for the 50 reserved women seats in parliament. The voting for the reserved women seats will be held on 14 March, according to the election schedule.

However, generally voting is not required for the reserved women seats as the parties or the alliances nominate one person for each of the seats allocated for them.

The election schedule was finalised during the EC meeting presided over by chief election commissioner (CEC) Kazi Habibul Awal on Tuesday. Later, EC secretary Jahangir Alam declared the schedule.

He said nomination papers for the election in the reserved women seats can be submitted from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm on 18 February. The nomination papers will be scrutinised on 19 and 20 February. The candidates can withdraw their nomination papers up to 25 February.

The EC has decided to hold the upazila elections in four phases on 4 May, 11 May, 18 May and 25 May. The area-wise phases of upazila will be declared next week, EC secretary Jahangir Alam informed the media.

There are a total of 495 upazila parishads in the country. The EC sources said elections to some 483 upazilas will be held in four phases. Voting to the remaining upazilas will be held later. The schedule of the first phase of upazila elections will be declared by the end of March.