EC postpones polls in 163 union parishads, 9 municipalities

The Election Commission (EC) has postponed voting in 163 union parishads and nine municipalities due to the sharp rise of the novel coronavirus infections in those areas.

The Election Commission fixed 21 June as the date for holding polls in those areas.

The commission has also changed the date for by-polls of Sylhet-3, Dhaka-14, Cumilla-5 vacant seats from 14 July to 28 July, said Election Commission Secretary Md Humayun Kabir Khandaker at a press conference in the EC Building in Agargaon on Thursday.

Meanwhile, the election in Laxmipur-2 constituency will be held on scheduled date – 21 June – as there is a constitutional obligation.

The secretary said, "Elections were scheduled to be held on 21 June in 367 union parishads. Out of them, polls in 163 union parishads, including all union parishads of Khulna division, Noakhali, Chattogram and Cox's Bazar districts, have been postponed."

He said, among the areas where elections were postponed are 68 union parishads in Bagerhat district, 34 in Khulna district, 21 in Satkhira district, 13 in Noakhali district and 12 in Chattogram district as well as 15 in Cox's Bazar district.

Regarding the municipal elections, the secretary said elections for Setabganj municipality in Dinajpur district and Jhalakathi municipality in Jhalakathi district will be held in time.

"However, the elections of the nine other municipalities have been postponed as they are in high risk areas for novel coronavirus," he continued.

The commission set 11 April as the date for holding elections in 371 union parishads and 11 municipalities through a notification issued on 8 March. But due to the sharp rise in the Covid-19 infections, all types of elections were postponed on 1 April. Later on 2 June, the commission made announcement regarding rescheduling elections.