United News of Bangladesh

The Election Commission (EC) has decided to reinstate the ‘no vote’ provision for only in constituencies with a single candidate under the proposed amendments to the Representation of the People Order (RPO) ahead of the upcoming national election, said Election Commissioner Abul Fazal Md Sanaullah on Monday. “There will be no 'no vote' everywhere, if there is a single candidate, there will be a 'no vote' but in case of alliance, votes must be cast in the symbol of one's own party,” he said while speaking at a press briefing held at the Nirbachan Bhaban on Monday evening. The Election Commission also took a decision to remove the provision of the use of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), he said. Earlier in the day, a meeting was held at Nirbachan Bhaban, with Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) AMM Nasir Uddin, in the chair. The session was a continuation of the Commission's ninth meeting. The meeting also decided to include the armed forces under the definition of law enforcement agencies and this will allow the commission to deploy members of the army, navy, and air force for maintaining law and order just like other forces. The current Election Commission had stated that they would not use EVMs. Now, it has been removed from the RPO, he said. Referring to EVMs, Sanaullah said, “Since this Commission has already decided not to use EVMs, all related provisions have been removed from the draft amendments. We have also specified penalties for dereliction of duty by election officials. Any such matter must be investigated and reported to the EC within three working days.” Election schedule likely in early December: Sanaullah The ‘no vote’ option was first introduced in the 2008 national election but was later scrapped in the 9th Parliament. The Election Reform Commission had also recommended its reinstatement in the current reform proposals, he said. It also said even if candidates contest elections under an alliance, they must use their respective party’s electoral symbol, he added. "If there is only one candidate anywhere, they will not be elected unopposed. Overall, it is not about no votes. If there is one candidate in a constituency, they must still go to the election and they must compete. If they are elected again with no votes, then there will be no votes anymore. At that point, the individual, the candidate will be elected,” said EC Sanaullah. No comment on EC reconstitution demand, says Commissioner Sanaullah The proposed RPO reforms will be sent to the relevant ministry next week, he added. If approved by the government, it will be promulgated through an amendment ordinance. Any additional consensus recommendations from the reform commission may also be included later, he said.  

The Election Commission (EC) has completed all preparations ahead of the Khulna City Corporation (KCC) election, scheduled to be held tomorrow (June 12, 2023).  Distribution of all electoral materials from the city’s Divisional Mohila Krira Complex will start from 11 am today.  Returning Officer Md Alauddin said voting at all centres in the KCC election will be held using electronic voting machines (EVM).  Read: KCC Election: 161 polling stations out of 289 vulnerable He said five candidates for mayoral post, 136 for general councillors for 31 wards and 39 for reserved seats will compete in the election.  Two councillors for wards 13 and 24 have been elected unopposed, he said, adding that voting will start at 8 am and will continue till 4pm, without any break.  Khandaker Yasir Arefin, deputy commissioner of Khulna, said 11 platoons of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) were deployed to ensure security in the KCC election and they have been patrolling since this morning.   Each platoon comprising 20 members of the BGB will assist 11 executive magistrates in conducting mobile court, the DC said.    Read:KCC polls: Formal electioneering begins through allocation of symbols Campaigning for the election started on May 26 with the allocation of election symbols and stopped on Saturday midnight as per order of the EC.  The whole city has been wearing a festive look during the electioneering. A total of 5,35,528 people are supposed to exercise their franchise in the 31 wards of Khulna city and there are 1,732 polling booths under 289 polling stations. Read more:Will ensure level playing field in KCC polls: CEC

Electronic Voting Machines(EVMs) will not be used in the 12th national election, said Election Commission (EC) Secretary Md. Jahangir Alam on Monday (April 03, 2023). Voting will be held using ballot papers in 300 seats, he told reporters after a meeting of election commissioners at the EC Secretariat. The EC secretary said they took the decision to use ballot paper due to lack of political consensus and necessary resources. On August 23, the EC decided to use EVMs instead of traditional ballot papers in maximum of 150 constituencies in the next general election – likely to be held early next year. Read More: BNP won't come to power whenever election is held: Quader On September 19 last year, the Election Commission approved a Tk 8,711 crore project to procure electronic voting machines (EVMs) for 150 constituencies, out of 300, for the 12th parliamentary election. The decision received strong opposition from BNP and its allies, who did not join talks with the CEC that continued throughout the month of July. However, the ruling Awami League welcomed the decision as it was their demand to use EVMs in all 300 seats in the next election. On January 23, this year the government decided not to proceed with purchasing 2 lakh electronic voting machines (EVMs) citing the global economic recession. Read More: Cabinet nods 2 to 7 years’ imprisonment for election disruptions

The Election Commission has filed a case against a Jubo League leader on charge of snatching an Electronic Voting Machine’s ballot unit panel from a polling centre during the Boalkhali Upazila Parishad election in Chattogram. Presiding officer of the centre, Sajal Das, filed the case with Boalkhali Police Station last night against Nirmalendu Dey Sumon, the joint general secretary of Sreepur-Kharandwip Union Jubo League and son of late Gaurang Dey of ward-9. Confirming the case, Boalkhali Police Station Officer-in-Charge Md Abdur Razzaque said, an investigation is underway regarding the matter. Also Read: Pabna rickshaw-puller murder: Jubo League activist put on 3-day remand Earlier yesterday, the Boalkhali Upazila Parishad by-election was held. However, there was no voter turnout throughout the day. Almost all the centres were empty. In the meantime, around noon, Sumon entered room-5 of Jaistyapura Ramni Mohan High School centre in Sreepur-Kharandwip union and took away the EVM ballot unit panel from the polling room. Assistant Presiding Officer Harunur Rashid protested, but the Jubo League leader did not pay heed to it. Later, Union Awami League President Ratan Chowdhury recovered the EVM ballot unit panel and returned it to the centre. Police detained Ratan for questioning in this connection and later released him.    

The government of Bangladesh has decided not to proceed with purchasing 2 lakh electronic voting machines (EVMs) at the moment, but the procurement project has not been cancelled, Election Commission (EC) Secretary Md. Jahangir Alam said today (January 23, 2023). “The Planning Commission has decided to suspend the processing of the project, considering the government’s financial capacity amid the ongoing global economic crisis,” he said while speaking at a press briefing held at the Election Commission in Dhaka. Read more: Vote using ballot papers if EVM scheme not passed by mid-January: Commissioner Rasheda On September 19 last year, the Election Commission approved a Tk 8,711 crore project to procure electronic voting machines (EVMs) for 150 constituencies, out of 300, for the 12th parliamentary election. On August 23, the EC decided to use electronic voting machines instead of traditional ballot papers in maximum of 150 constituencies in the next general election – likely to be held early next year. The decision received strong opposition from BNP and its allies, who did not join talks with the CEC that continued throughout the month of July. Read more: EVMs: How many seats to be known by Jan However, the ruling Awami League welcomed the decision as it was their demand to use EVMs in all 300 seats in the next election.

Election Commissioner Begum Rasheda Sultana on Sunday said that if the scheme for the electronic voting machines (EVMs) is not passed by mid-January voting in the next general election will be held by using ballot papers. "Unless the new scheme of the EVMs is passed by mid-January, these machines cannot be used in 150 (parliamentary) seats. In this case, the EC will have to prepare for voting on ballot papers," she said. She made the comment to journalists after a meeting with technical experts at her Election Commission office in Agargaon. The Election Commission had earlier proposed a project of Tk 9000 crore to the government for procuring and using EVMs in 150 seats. That proposal has not yet been cleared. Also read: With or without BNP, election to be held on time: Razzaque The EC commissioner said the EVM project does not seem to have progressed much. "We said that we will use EVMs in a maximum of 150 seats subject to receipt of project funds," she said. "If it comes on time, it is better. If not, we will do with what we have. We have the capacity to use EVMs in 70 to 80 seats, (but) I don't know what we have now," she added. She said that they did not talk to the policymakers (ministries) about this and said that it is not customary. The EC Secretariat may discuss.

Voting in the by-election for Gaibandha-5 constituency, which was suspended due to irregularities, is underway with participation of voters in a festive mood. Voting started at 8 am and will continue till 4:30 pm. No untoward incident was reported till the filing of this report around 10 am. People were seen standing in long queues since morning, ignoring the cold. The presence of female voters is comparatively higher than their male counterparts. A total of 3,39,743 people are expected to exercise their franchise in 145 polling centres. Of them, 1,70,160 are females and 1,69,583 are male. District Election Officer and Returning officer Abdul Motaleb said that of the 145 polling centres, 72 are consider "important" while 32 are counted as "most important". Read: EC has 'no legal obligation' to bring parties to election All preparations have been taken to hold a smooth, free and fair election, he said. Elections will be monitored through CCTV cameras as done before. Rab, police, BGB and Ansar members will remain deployed to hold the election peacefully, said Motaleb. The candidates of the Gaibandha-5 by-election are: Awami League candidate Mahmud Hasan Ripon, Jatiya Party candidate AHM Golam Shaheed Ranju, Bikalpa Dhara candidate Advocate Jahangir Alam and independent candidate Syed Mahbubur Rahman. The constituency consists of Saghata and Phulchhari upazilas. On October 12 last year, the Election Commission (EC) suspended the by-election due to “rampant irregularities” on the election day and later the commission fixed January 4 for holding the polls. Following the death of Gaibandha-5 lawmaker and Deputy Speaker of the Parliament Fazle Rabbi Miah on July 22, 2022, it became a constitutional obligation to hold election for the parliamentary seat by October 20, 2022. Accordingly it was scheduled for October 12. A three-member committee was formed to look into the election irregularities on October 12 last year. Following the recommendations of the committee, the Election Commission took punitive actions against 133 officials including an additional deputy commissioner, five sub-inspectors and returning officer of the election. Read More: EC to delve into slow voting complaint in Rangpur City Corporation Polls

Election commissioner (EC) Md Alamgir said the number of constituencies that will be voted on by electronic voting machines (EVM) will be known within January. "The decision will be made within the month of January regarding how many seats' election will be held through EVM in the 12th national election," he said. EC Alamgir said this to reporters at his office in the Agargaon election building in the capital on Tuesday. Read more: No budget for CCTV monitoring in by-elections: Election commissioner He said  polling can be held in 70 seats with the current number of EVMs while how many more depends on the amount allocated in the budget.  The Election Commissioner also said that if sufficient budget is available by January, then the EVM voting will be held in 150 seats.  But it will not be possible if the budget is received in February.

Election Commissioner (EC) Md. Alamgir on Tuesday said that manipulation in the electronic voting machine (EVM) is not possible as chips are made for one-time use. “There is no chance to rewrite anything. Also, there is no chance to change the programming,” he told reporters at the Election Commission Secretariat in Dhaka. He said that many think it is a machine to rig the election, but experts suggest otherwise. “From my experience of past elections, I have seen that there is no scope for tampering with EVMs. The commission also asked the political parties to check EVMs by their own technical teams,” he said. The commissioner said that the first thing to say about EVMs is that results can be reversed by programming. He said that such a statement may be theoretically right, but practically wrong. “You can say that one company's drugs may be adulterated, but not all other companies' drugs are adulterated. The point is that our EVM is different. Many say it is like EVMs used in India. Actually, it cannot be compared with India’s ones,” he added. Also read: EVM better than ballot, say experts He also added that voter identification is done manually in EVMs in India while in Bangladesh it is done electronically. He said that since Bangladesh has a voter database with photo and fingerprint, EVMs in Bangladesh can identify real voters where India does not have the opportunity to do so. Secondly, the programming done for EVMs in Bangladesh can only add, he said adding that voters can only vote. It cannot do anything else, and programming has been done that way, he said. “So, there is no chance that someone can manipulate the device, not even from outside. So, once it is written there is no chance to rewrite or edit as it is usable for one time,” he said. Alamgir, also a former EC Secretary, said that EVMs in Bangladesh do not have any connection with the Internet. Also read: It’s mockery with nation, says Fakhrul about EC’s Tk 8,711cr project to buy EVMs “The connection provided with the ballot unit is customisable. Nothing can be inserted into it. You cannot add any other device except the device that is created for this EVM only.” He added that EVMs used in Bangladesh only add and subtract like a calculator. As calculators do not have the option to change the programme, these machines are also the same. “Those who are spreading misinformation about EVMs do not know or understand it. They can check any EVM if they want,” he said. The EC commissioner also said that the advantage of voting in EVMs is that there is no opportunity to vote before or after the election. There is no opportunity to cast a vote without a voter. “If the voters do not come to the centres, there is no chance to cast the vote. If 10 percent voters turn up, only 10 percent votes can be cast. On the other hand, it is possible for 10 percent of voters to actually vote 100 percent on the ballot. Hence there is no chance of fraud through EVM,” he said. In response to another question, he said that strict action will be taken against the candidates, agents who would assist in rigging in polling stations. He said that the agents cannot be kept out of the polling stations as political parties will not accept it. END/UNB/SI/JA

The Election Commission (EC) today approved a Tk 8,711 crore project to procure Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) for 150 constituencies, out of 300, for the 12th parliamentary election. The project details will soon be sent to the Planning Commission for approval, Election Commissioner Md Alamgir said in a press briefing. Earlier, the project was approved in a meeting of the commission. Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kazi Habibul Awal, who recently tested positive for Covid-19, joined the meeting virtually. Read: Jatiya Party to shun alliances at next election: GM Quader EC Alamgir said, “The commission earlier decided to use EVMs in 150 constituencies, in the next general election, but 1.5 lakh machines we currently have can be used in highest 70 to 80 constituencies.” So, the project was approved to procure and maintain new EVMs, he said. The Election Commission unveiled roadmap for next the general election at a function held at the auditorium of the Nirbachan Bhaban on Wednesday. Read: Next national election by Jan 29, 2024; EVMs to be used in 150 constituencies On August 23, the EC decided to use electronic voting machines instead of traditional ballot papers in maximum 150 constituencies in the next general election – likely to be held late next year. The decision received strong opposition from BNP and its allies, who didn’t join the talks with the CEC that continued throughout the month of July. However, the ruling Awami League welcomed the decision as it was their demand to use EVMs in all 300 seats in the next election. Read AL in favour of using EVMs in national election: Quader Earlier, the commission had invited 39 political parties registered with it for talks on the use of electronic voting machines; 28 political parties responded to the commission’s invitations while 11 parties, including BNP, rejected it.