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10-day delay on if BNP joins polls

EC reaffirms, amends schedule

Staff Correspondent
The Election Commission (EC) yesterday re-fixed the dates for scrutiny and withdrawal of applications for candidacy in the parliamentary and upazila elections.
It also restated that it would put back the national election by 10 days provided the BNP-led four-part)- alliance commits to participate in it.
Meanwhile, a senior BNP leader yesterday morning talked to Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) ATM Shamsul Huda over phone and discussed matters relating to the polls, a source in the EC said.
Details of the discussion however could not be learnt immediately.
The same day Election Commissioner Muhammed Sohul Hussain in the morning told The Daily Star, "We may shift the
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election from December 18 to December 28 if they [four-party) decide to participate."
He added that if the parliamentary election is held on December 28, the upazila polls will be held either on January 7 or 9.
M Sakhawat Hussain, another election commissioner, told reporters at his office that the polls must be held by the year-end since the Supreme Court has the commission committed to doing so.
"We still hope all political parties will take part in the election," he observed.
Earlier on Wednesday night, the EC extended the time limit by three days for filing candidacy applications in both the polls.
According to the fresh
timetables, the last date for filing applications in the parliamentary and upazila elections is November 23, changed from November 20.
Secretary to the EC Secretariat Humayun Kabir announced the latest changes at a press briefing at his office.
He said the commission has set November 25-26 for scrutiny of applications in the national election and November 27-29 in the upazila polls.
The closing date for candidates to withdraw from the parliamentary race is December 1 and upazila is December4.
Humayun said the schedules have been readjusted to allow the prospective candidates some more time to submit nominations.
It is for the second time that the EC has changed dates in the polls schedules unveiled on November 2.
According to the original timetables, the last date for submitting nomination papers for the parliamentary election was November 13, scrutiny November 16-17 and withdrawing candidacy November 24.
In the first change that came on November 9, the deadline for filing candidacy applications was stretched till November 20 for both the polls.
The dates for scrutiny were set at November 23 and 24 and withdrawal at November 29.
Scrutiny of nomination papers in the upazila polls was rearranged at November 25-27 and withdrawal at December 3.
NDICRITICISED
Election Commissioner Sakhawat yesterday criticised the National Democratic Institute’s remarks on deployment of army and police at polling stations.
NDI on Wednesday said the caretaker government should not deploy police or military personnel in the polling stations or in a manner that appears intimidating to voters or that interferes with the electoral process.
"Their (NDI) remarks are unacceptable and interfering." Sakhawat said adding that the EC and political parties will decide whether to deploy the army and police at polling stations.
"They should refrain from making such comments, the elec non commissioner said.