Election Commissioner Abdur Rahmanel Masud on Sunday said the elections to the city corporations will be held following the by-elections after Ramadan.

“We hope the city corporation elections will be held shortly after the month of Ramadan. Before that several by-elections will be held. The schedules (for the by-polls) have already been announced. Those polls will be held in due time,” he said.

The Election Commissioner made the remarks while speaking as the chief guest at the annual general meeting and election of the Reporters Forum for Election and Democracy (RFED) held at the media centre of Nirbachan Bhaban in the city's Agargaon area.

He said the Election Commission will remain busy throughout the year and also for the several coming years due to a series of upcoming local government elections.

Masud said the EC has a legal obligation to conduct free and fair elections while the responsibility for enacting election-related laws lies with Parliament.

He also said the Commission is awaiting Parliament’s decision on whether local government elections will be held with political party symbols.

The Election Commissioner said the recently held 13th parliamentary election and referendum were conducted peacefully.

Masud called upon journalists to perform their duties impartially while doing constructive criticism of the Election Commission’s activities.