After receiving the allegation on September 23, 2003 the EC discussed the matter on several occasions but could not find any way to resolve it. Nor did the EC respond to the European Union (EU) about the allegation, sources said.

"We have shelved the allegation as the list was prepared three years ago. We would have to revise the voter list if the Election Commission wanted to probe the allegation," a senior official told The Daily Star, wishing anonymity.

Some officials at the EC secretariat also believe there was duplication and triplication of a number of voters, which is why the number of increased voters has been questioned. They fear that the same might happen while preparing the voter list for the next parliamentary election unless the officials at the field levels are aware of such inclusion.

The EU in a report sent to former chief election commissioner MA Syed said the figure of 74.7 million registered voters was too high, given a population of 130 million. "I believe that the demographic profile of Bangladesh would suggest a lower figure," Michael Meadowcroft, the then EU consultant, said in the EU report examining the demographic profile of Bangladesh.

The information states that 55 percent of Bangladeshis are over 15 years of age. Thus, even if the age qualification was 15 rather than 18, there would only be a maximum of 71.5 million voters, the EU report said.

Under the age of 15, there is an average of 3.7 million males and females in each year. "Assuming slightly fewer than this in each of the years for the ages 15, 16 and 17, I would estimate that there is a total of 10 million inhabitants in those three years," Meadowcroft pointed out in the report.

"Thus, extrapolating the census figures, the maximum number of potential voters in Bangladesh is 61.51 million," the report claimed.