The Election Commission (EC) is poised to announce the election schedule for the 50 reserved women seats in the 12th National Parliament today.
Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Habibul Awal will preside over the crucial meeting, where decisions regarding the timeline for nomination paper submission, verification, final candidate selection, and polling will be determined.
EC Additional Secretary Ashok Kumar Debnath confirmed this on Monday, emphasizing that all details will be disclosed after the meeting.
According to legal provisions, the election for reserved women’s seats must take place within 90 days of the publication of the gazette containing the results of the general election.
The winners of the 12th National Parliament elections were gazetted on January 9, necessitating the EC
to conduct the vote for reserved women’s seats by April 7.
The existing laws also show, the allocation of women’s seats is proportional to the number of seats won by parties in direct elections.
Members of Parliament elected in general seats become voters for reserved seats, a crucial aspect in promoting gender representation in the parliamentary system.
The 12th National Parliamentary Election saw the Awami League securing 223 seats, Jatiya Party 11, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD) 1, Workers Party 1, Kalyan Party 1, and independent candidates winning 62 seats. The remaining seat, Naogaon-2, is scheduled for voting on February 12 due to the unfortunate demise of a candidate.
In the proportional representation system, the Awami League is anticipated to secure 38 seats, including two from JSD and Workers Party. Jatiya Party is expected to gain two seats, while independent candidates could potentially secure 10 reserved seats.
However, the inclusion of independent candidates aligning with other parties may alter the calculations.
With the Election Commission preparing to reveal the election schedule, anticipation mounts for the upcoming process, which holds significant importance in molding the representation of women in the National Parliament.
