3rd phase election to 112 upazilas May 29

The Election Commission on Wednesday announced the schedule for 3rd phase upazila election to hold the polls in 112 Upazila Parishads on May 29 next.

EC Secretary Md Jahangir Alam declared the schedule after an EC meeting chaired by Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Habibul Awal at Nirbachan Bhaban in the city.

As per the schedule, the deadline for submission of nomination papers is May 02, while the date for scrutinizing the nomination papers is May 05 and the last date for withdrawal of candidature is May 12.

Besides, aspirants can file appeals against the decisions of returning officers over acceptance or rejection of nomination papers on May 6-8. The appeals will be disposed of on May 9-11.

The symbols will be allotted to candidates on May 13.

In 21 upazilas out of 112 ones, the balloting will be cast through electronic voting machines (EVM) instead of traditional ballot papers in the third phase election.

This time, the EC is holding the sixth countrywide upazila election in four phases. Now the polls will be conducted to more than 450 upazilas out of 495 ones throughout the country.

The commission earlier announced the first two phase election schedules to hold the balloting in 150 upazilas on May 08 and 161 upazilas on May 21.

In the first phase election, the deadline for submission of nomination papers expired on Monday last and a total of 1,891 aspirants -- for one chairman post and two vice chairman posts in each body -- submitted nomination papers in 150 upazilas.