Election roadmap in June–July, discussions with parties before October: EC

The election commission (EC) is preparing to hold elections next December and will hold dialogue with stakeholders including political parties before October.

Election commissioner Anwarul Islam Sarker said this while speaking with journalists at his office in the city's Nirbachan Bhaban.

He said the EC will exchange views with political parties in August-September or possibly before.

The time of the thirteenth general elections is yet to be fixed. The interim government maintains the elections will be held between December this year and June next year.

The EC says it is preparing to hold the election in ‘earliest time’, which is December, of this timeframe.

Anwarul Islam said the EC has been working with its own action plan since assuming the office.

He said the EC hopes that the work of delimiting the constituencies can be completed within three months if the government decides to amend The Delimitation of Constituencies Ordinance, 1976.

Anwarul Islam said that the preparatory work will be completed in the next three months. The EC hopes that the action plan, which is published by the EC before the elections, will be printed around June-July.

In response to a question about whether preparations for the elections are being made, eyeing the polls in December, the election commissioner said that they are moving around the deadline announced by the government.

Responding to another question, the election commissioner said that before announcing the election schedule, there will be an exchange of views with the stakeholders. They want to exchange views with all the new parties that will get registration and the old parties. If the registration work is not completed, the new political parties will have a grudge. Considering that, the EC has issued a public notice for the registration of political parties at the right time.

The election commissioner said that the EC will hold consultations with stakeholders including political parties before announcing the election schedule. It will be before October, it could be in August-September or if possible, they will hold consultations with stakeholders before that.

Replying to another question, Anwarul Islam said the deadline for submitting application for registration is 20 April. Three parties have so far applied. No decision has yet been taken on extension of the deadline.

Asked if elections could be held given the current law and order situation, Anwarul Islam said he thinks the situation is improving gradually.

The EC thinks the law and order situation will improve further in the next six to eight months, he added.