Electoral reforms must be completed by October to hold polls in December: CEC

Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin has said the reform of electoral laws and rules and other necessary works must be completed by October next to hold the 13th parliamentary election in December.

“To conduct the election in December, I have to be fully prepared with everything by October, completing whatever is necessary (for the election). I will have to announce the schedule at the end of October,” he said on Sunday.

The CEC made the remark while addressing a dialogue titled ‘RFED Talk’ with the Reporters Forum for Election and Democracy-RFED at Nirbachan Bhaban in the capital.

He said the election commission needs to announce the election schedule at least two months or one and a half months before an election.

The submission of the nomination papers, scrutiny of nomination papers, withdrawal of candidacy, settlement of appeals against the decisions of returning officers, and giving at least 21 days for the election campaign are to be considered during the announcement of an election schedule, he said.

“If the election is to be held in December, then there must be an arrangement so that I can prepare by October. And if it says in the middle that new law or reform is to be made, then it will be a big challenge for me. It will be a big challenge not only for me but also for anyone because of time constraints,” said Nasir Uddin.

He focused on different issues, including the registration of political parties and the delimitation of constituencies.