Voting begins in DNCC, DSCC polls
The voting in the Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) and Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) elections began on Thursday morning.
The voting has begun at 8:00am and will continue uninterruptedly until 4:00pm.
The day has been announced as public holiday in the areas of the two city corporations.
The election commission (EC) has organised the voting for the by-polls to the DNCC mayoral post and election to councillor and reserved councillor posts of the newly added 36 wards, including 18 under the DNCC and 18 under the DSCC.
The winners will be elected for one year tenure.
The officials of the election management department of the EC said they sent the ballot papers to 36 wards yesterday.
EC secretary Helaluddin Ahmed said a total of 19 members of different law enforcement agencies will be deployed at the centres each while 23 members for each of the risky centres.
Besides, 27 mobile teams consist of the members of police, APBn and Ansar were deployed.
News agency BSS adds: chief election commissioner (CEC) KM Nurul Huda on Wednesday said that the EC has completed all kinds of preparation to hold a free, fair and credible by-election to Dhaka North City Corporation.
“Executive and judicial magistrates and required number of law enforcement agency members have been employed to hold the election in a fair manner. There also will be EC’s monitoring teams in the election fields,” he said at a press conference at media centre of the EC secretariat in the city.
Besides, members of different law enforcement agencies will be employed as striking forces at different spots while police, BGB and RAB personnel will be patrolling in the city during the election, he added.
Huda urged all polling agents to stay in the respective polling stations until they got result sheet of the election.
Legal action will be taken if allegation of playing biased role in the election is proved against any election official and law enforcement agency member, the CEC said.
“Voting will be stopped immediately if any irregularities take place at any centre during the election. And stern action will be taken against those who will be responsible for the incident after investigation,” he added.
Speaking about vehicle movement in the elation area, Huda said the vehicles can ply on the ‘main road’. The people, however, can also ply their private vehicles on an emergency basis, he added.
Responding to a query over poor participation in the polls, the CEC said people might not have shown eagerness participating in the election as its tenure will be only for a year.
“However, we have nothing to do if any party does not take part in the election,” he added.
Five candidates including Awami League (AL) nominated Atiqul Islam have been contesting for the mayoral post of DNCC.
A total of 116 candidates are vying for general councillor post and 45 for reserved councillor post in the DNCC while 125 are contesting for general councillor post and 45 for reserved councillor post in the DSCC.