The Election Commission (EC) has started a dispute over the votes of Dhaka North and South City Corporation. The counting of election time is starting in the first week of December this year in these two important cities. Before that, the constitutional institution will write to the local government department to find out whether there is any obstacle in organizing the polls in July. Polling for the two cities could be held in the last week of January or early February next year. The schedule may be announced in December itself.
When asked about this, Election Commission Additional Secretary Ashok Kumar Debnath said that there is still enough time for the two city corporations of Dhaka to vote. All preparations will be made to hold elections on time.
According to EC sources, the EC has already started working on election-related matters including the preparation of voter list. The Election Commission may send a letter to the Ministry of Local Government in July. A number of officers are now being roped in to perform the duties of Returning Officers for the two city polls. Due to the low voter turnout in the upazila polls, this constitutional organization will take initiatives to increase the voter turnout in the two city elections of Dhaka.
EC officials said that the last polls of Dhaka North and South City were held on February 1, 2020. Voting in two city corporations was done in EVMs. 25 percent votes in Dhaka North and 29 percent in South. Seva Rajpath’s opposition BNP did not participate in the polls. This time too, there is little chance of Rajpath’s opposition BNP participating. So the EC is looking at increasing the participation of the parties. The EC is trying to figure out ways to increase voter turnout.
EC officials said that the SSC exam will start from next February. Then there is the HSC exam. As a result, the EC will have to organize the election before the SSC examination. All preparations have been made to hold elections in the last week of January and early February. For that purpose, instructions have been given to the concerned.
The number of voters in the two cities is 54 lakh 63 thousand 467 people. Among them, 28 lakh 43 thousand 8 male voters and 26 lakh 20 thousand 459 female voters. As a city corporation, there are 3 million 10 thousand 273 voters in Dhaka North City; Out of which 15 lakh 49 thousand 567 men and 14 lakh 60 thousand 706 women. However, the number of voters may increase before the schedule is announced.