The Election Commission (EC) wants to ensure a level playing field in the upcoming elections to Dhaka North and South City Corporations to be held on January 30. In this regard, as per the Election Commission directives, law enforcers led by 200 executive magistrates have started patrolling the capital Dhaka to ensure law and order ahead of city corporation’s elections.
The last date for filling nominations papers is December 31. Returning officers will be scrutinizing nomination papers on January 2. The last date for withdrawing candidacy is January 9. The executive magistrates along with the members of law enforcement agencies will continue patrolling the city until December 31.
In the meantime, a directive regarding the removal of the executive rulers has already been sent to the Public Administration Secretary, according to deputy secretary of the Election Commission Atiar Rahman. According to Election Commission, 172 executives are now being appointed in two city corporation areas. Of them, 72 will serve in the DNCC and rest 100 in the DNCC. They will serve until December 31. In addition, from January 28 to January 31, they will be remain on duty.
The letter sent to the Secretary of Public Administration states: "In the two city corporation elections, the executives are in compliance with the Election Code of Conduct, according to the Mobile Court Act-2009, according to the Local Government (City Corporation) Act-2009 and the Local Government (City Corporation) Rules-2010, to prevent electoral crime and to maintain law and order. The mobile court will operate until January 31, the next day of voting for the operation.
EC deputy secretary Atiar said, a judicial magistrate would be appointed two days before the voting, in addition to the executive judge. In each of these three wards, the judicial magistrate will perform the duties. The judicial magistrate will have 43 people in the two cities. Of these, 18 will be in North City Corporation and 25 in South.
The DNCC consists of 54 general wards and 18 reserved female wards. The polls will be held in 7,516 polling stations of 1,934 polling stations. A total of 30 lakh 35 thousand 621 voters will have the opportunity to exercise their franchise. The DSCC, on the other hand, has 75 general wards and 25 reserved female wards. In this election, polling will be held in 5,998 polling stations of 1,124 polling stations. A total of 23 lakh 67 thousand 488 voters will have the opportunity to exercise their franchise in this election.
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