Election observers: Minimum age lowered to 21
The Election Commission yesterday revoked the registrations of all 96 local organisations that monitored the 12th national election.
The EC introduced "Election Observation Policy 2025" replacing the 2023 guidelines under which the 96 observer organisations had been registered.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. Under this new policy, the minimum age requirement for local election observers has been lowered to 21 from 25 years.
However, the required educational qualification has been raised from SSC (Secondary School Certificate) to HSC (Higher Secondary Certificate).
EC's Director (Public Relations) Shariful Alam confirmed the matter to The Daily Star yesterday.
Ahead of the 12th national election, the EC had registered these 96 local election observer organisations in two phases.
The registration of an observer organisation remains valid for five years from the date of issuance; the registrations of these 96 organisations were set to expire towards the end of 2028.
Section 4 (6) of the new policy on the registration of observer organisations states that "any group that previously submitted biased or agenda-driven reports will not be granted registration."
The EC will publish a notice in daily newspapers, giving observer organisations 15 days to apply for registration.
"A notice will be issued shortly to initiate the new registration process," said Shariful Alam.
Under the new policy, the commission has decided that "Observer ID" cards will be issued three days prior to the polling day.
A new provision has been added allowing the observers to remain in the field and monitor the election for up to three days.
Representatives of local observer organisations will be allowed to observe the elections on the day before the vote, on election day itself, and the day after the vote.
Meanwhile, the EC has also written to the European Union to send observers.
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