Dhaka city polls: EC to act according to court directive

The Election Commission will act in accordance with the court directives on Dhaka north and south city corporation elections scheduled for January 30, said Election Commission Secretary Md Alamgir.

A writ petition, that filed with the High Court seeking a directive to defer the date for a week as Saraswati Puja to be celebrated on the election day, is under process, he told the newsmen at the EC Secretariat.

Alamgir also shared the constitutional body’s stance over the elections and said, “We will act according to the court directives.”

Alamgir said the commission has fixed January 30 for the election date according to the government calendar.

According to the calendar, January 29 is optional holiday while January 31 is Friday and the Secondary School Certificate Examination will begin from February 1, he said.

In this context, the commission has fixed January 30 for holding the Dhaka north and south city corporation election, the EC official said.        

Besides, the demands for deferring the date for Dhaka north and south city corporation polls have been getting louder in the last couple of days ahead of the Saraswati puja to be celebrated on the election day.

Earlier in the day, a delegation of Bangladesh Hindu Bouddha Christian Oikya Parishad held a meeting with the EC to press home their demand for deferring the election date.

After the meeting, Rana Das Gupta, president of the platform, told the reporters that the people of the Hindu community will not shoulder the responsibility if any untoward incident takes place centring the elections.

“We placed the demand while the Election Commission spoke about its constitutional obligations and thus, we returned home with disappointment,” Rana Das said.      

Rana Das said, the commission cleared its stance that it would defer the polls date if the government wants.

The HC is scheduled to come up with directives in this regard on tomorrow and then the commission will take its decision, he added.