‘EC to suspend voting if it finds irregularities’

Election Commission (EC) will stop voting instantly if it finds any irregularities at any centre during the first phase of the fifth upazila parishad election scheduled for tomorrow.

EC Additional Secretary Mokhlesur Rahman today said this while addressing a press conference held at the Nirbachan Bhaban in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar area of Dhaka this afternoon.

“We have given strict instruction to the election officials in this regard,” Rahman said expressing his hope that the turnout of voters in the election will be better than that of previous ones.

It is a local body election and candidates remain very active and thus the turnout of voters will be better, the EC official said.

Responding to a query over the low turnout of voters in the recently held Dhaka North City Corporation by-polls, Rahman said, “Time was very short and it was a very rainy day. It might be the cause of low turnout of voters in the election.”

When asked about instances that the commission has taken against its officials for their involvement in the election irregularities, he said, “It can’t be said that it never happened. We have taken measures at different times.”

“We must have taken measures against the election officials based on specific allegations,” he told the questioner.

Elections to 482 upazila parishads will be held in five phases from tomorrow and starting from 8:00am, the election will continue uninterruptedly across the upazila until 4:00pm.

The second, third, fourth and fifth phases of the fifth upazila elections are scheduled for March 18, 24, 31 and June 18.

The commission has already taken appropriate measure in holding the election at these upazilas in a free, fair and credible manner, he added.

In 2014, 487 upazilas went to polls in six phases between February and May.