Jatiya Party (JP) today called upon the Election Commission (EC) to extend the deadline for submission of nomination papers for the local municipality elections slated for December 30.

A five-member delegation headed by Jatiya Party's Secretary General Ziauddin Ahmed Bablu met Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmed to place their charter of demands. They went to the Election Commission office around 11:30am.

"We requested to extend nomination deadline by at least 10 days," JP Secretary General Bablu said after the 45-minute meeting with CEC. "Our aspirants need time to gather relevant documents."

It is mainly BNP who is seeking more time to prepare for the municipality elections – to be held under party banners for the first time in the history of Bangladesh.

Ruling Awami League, on the other hand, is finding it difficult to endorse single candidates for each mayoral post among multiple aspirants in the root level.

Jatiya Party also requested for participation of lawmakers in polls campaign – a provision that is barred as per the electoral code of conduct.

The last date of filing nomination for the municipality elections through 234 municipalities in the country is December 3.