The Armed Forces Division (AFD) and different law enforcement agencies have sought Tk 445 crore for performing duties in the next general election scheduled for January 5.

Police have sought Tk 147 crore, Ansar Tk 206 crore, Coast Guard Tk 66 crore, and the AFD Tk 26 crore, said Election Commission sources.

The AFD has demanded the money directly from the EC, while the other agencies have placed the demand to the home ministry. Later, the ministry will forward the demand to the commission. In the 2008 election, the EC spent around Tk 100 crore for deployment of law enforcers and army.

Meanwhile, the EC heard 60 appeals against cancellation of candidatures in the election at its secretariat yesterday but the results of the hearings were not declared immediately.

Meanwhile, Awami League-backed candidate for Natore-2 constituency Shafiqu 1 Islam Shimu 1 yesterday demanded removal of the deputy commissioner (DC) and superintendent of police (SP) of the district alleging that the two were destroying the atmosphere of election by joining hands with the BNP-Jamaat alliance. He placed the demand through a letter to the chief election commissioner.