The Election Commission today instructed aspirants seeking to contest the 11 parliamentary election not to hold rallies or showdowns while receiving or submitting their nomination papers to the concerned authorities.

Various print and electronic media reported that following the announcement of the election schedule, possible candidates of different political parties are holding rallies and showdowns while collecting and submitting nomination forms which is a violation of the electoral code of conduct, sources at the EC said.

Read more

Performing Election Duties: EC warns ROs of stern action for failure

According to the existing electoral rules and regulation, aspiring candidates cannot hold rallies and showdowns during the process of collection and submission of nomination papers, a joint secretary of the EC said.

EC Secretary Helal Uddin Ahmed on November 9 said, “Bringing out processions and staging showdowns are prohibited until the candidates are allotted electoral symbols.”

The Election Commission yesterday revised the polls schedule, fixing the election date on December 30.

According to a report published on The Daily Star today, the AL and BNP activists have been marching and campaigning for their parties while buying nomination papers.

Locals said processions of AL supporters and possible candidates near the party president's Dhanmondi office have been causing traffic congestions in the area.

A similar picture was seen in Nayapaltan area, where BNP activists and leaders gathered to collect nomination papers yesterday.

When is the election?

Election Commission has revised polls schedule, deferring the 11th general election by a week to December 30.

The authorities have fixed November 28 as the deadline for filing nomination papers, Chief Election Commissioner KM Nurul Huda made the announcement at a programme in Dhaka’s Bangabandhu International Conference Centre this afternoon.

According to the fresh schedule, the nomination papers will be scrutinised on December 2. The last date for withdrawal of nomination is December 9. A gazette notification was published yesterday afternoon to make the decision effective immediately. 

The change comes four days after the Election Commission announced the polls schedule of the 11th parliamentary elections and several opposition parties demanding a delay.

Who is participating?

The Jatiya Oikyafront and the BNP-led alliance announced on Sunday that they would participate in the election and demanded that polling be deferred by a month.