The Election Commission yesterday announced that the first phase of Union Parishad elections would be held on March 22 in 752 unions.
The commission also stated that the UP elections, which will be in partisan line for the first time in history, will be held in six phases in 4,275 unions of the country.
Election Commissioner Md Shah Nawaz said: “The UP polls will be held in over 4,500 union parishads but initially, the commission has decided to hold the polls in 4,275 union parishads.”
According to the EC, the second phase of the polls will be held on March 31 in 710 union parishads, the third on April 23 in 711 UPs, fourth on May 7 in 728 UPs, fifth on May 28 in 714 UPs, and the sixth phase of the polls on June 4 in 660 Ups.
However, Shah Nawaz said that the schedule of the other five phases will be announced locally by the district election officials.
He also said that the dates of the polls were kept in line with the SSC and HSC examination schedule so that the examinees do not face any trouble.
EC Public Relations Director SM Asaduzzaman informed that the candidates for the first phase of the UP polls have to file their nominations by February 22. The nominations will be under scrutiny on February 23 and 24, and the last date for the withdrawal of nominations will be March 2.
The symbols for the first phase will be distributed on March 3, he said.
In this partisan UP elections, the registered political parties can compete in chairman posts but for members and reserved women members seats the poll will be held in the current non-partisan system.
When asked about law and security during the polls, the commissioner said: “As the polls will be held in phases, the commission believes that the law and order situation will be under control.”
“Since this is a root level election, everyone somehow knows the other. Therefore, I hope nothing will go wrong in the upcoming polls,” Shah Nawaz added.
He also issued a warning to law enforcers saying that if the commission finds any irregularities during the polls, stern action will be taken against the personnel responsible.
