Voting in Gaibandha-5 by-polls 4 January

Voting in postponed 145 centres in the by-election in Gaibandha-5 constituency will be held on 4 January, said a source of election commission (EC) on Tuesday.

There is no scope for any person to compete in the election anew.

The EC postponed voting in the constituency in the midway on 12 October as it saw in CCTV footage massive irregularities in 51 polling centres.

Later, a committee was formed to investigate the incident of irregularities there. The probe committee investigated the incidents of 51 centres and submitted a report to the EC on 27 October. The EC also asked the committee to analyse CCTV footage of remaining 94 centres and submit a report on whether any irregularity took place there.

EC on 1 December said they are going to take action against 134 officials, including the returning officer, for the irregularities in the Gaibandha-5 by-election.

Besides, the 134 officials include an additional deputy commissioner (overall), one executive magistrate, 126 presiding officers and five sub-inspectors (SI), said the chief election commissioner, Kazi Habibul Awal on 1 December.

A presiding officer has already been suspended while the EC will send letter to the concerned authority to take action departmental against five sub-inspectors.