EC sets Jan 7 for next JS polls

The Election Commission (EC) today set January 7, 2024 for the 12th parliamentary election.

“The voting of the 12th Jatiya Sangsad (JS) elections will be held on January 7, 2024” Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kazi Habibul Awal said while announcing the election schedule in an address to the nation on state-run television and radio.

The CEC said the last date for submission of nomination papers is November 30 and the scrutiny of nomination papers will be held between December 1 and 4. The deadline for withdrawal of candidature is December 17, he added.

The CEC’s around 15-minute speech was broadcast simultaneously on Bangladesh Television (BTV) and Bangladesh Betar.

The candidates could appeal against the Returning Officers’ (ROs) decisions between December 6 and 15, Awal said, adding, the ROs will distribute election symbols among aspirant candidates on December 18 and the candidates could conduct their electoral campaigns from December 18 to 8am on January 5.

The EC has already finalized the appointment of 66 ROs and 592 Assistant Returning Officers (AROs), the CEC said.

Noting that there is necessity to make the electoral process easy and transparent, he said, apart from updating the laws and regulations, the EC has recently introduced two apps to facilitate the aspirant candidates to submit nomination papers online to ensure overall transparency and simplification of the electoral process.