The countrywide voter role update programme of the Election Commission will continue from May 15 to November 15 in three phases.

The electoral roll with photographs will be updated in 182 upazilas in first phase from May 15 to July 15; 219 upazilas in the second phase from June 15 to September 15; and 113 upazilas in the third phase from September 1 to November 15.

The decision was made at a meeting between the EC and officials of different ministries and government bodies at the EC Secretariat yesterday.

Bangladeshi citizens, who will be 18 years old on January 1, 2015, will be included in the list, said EC officials, adding that around 46 lakhs new voters might be included in the list this time.

Apart from including new voters, names of dead persons will be excluded from the list.

Over 48,000 data collectors and 9,660 supervisors will be deployed across the country. They will collect data visiting door to door. Then the voter aspirants will have to go to registration centre for taking photos. Union parishad and municipality offices are usually used as registration centres.

Special measures will be taken for 14 upazilas of Cox's Bazar, Bandarban and Rangamati so that Rohingya and trespassers cannot be included in the voter list, the EC officials said.

If anyone tries to be voter by giving false information or age below 18 will get penalty from at least 6 months to two-year imprisonment along with Tk 2,000 fine, they added.

The EC updated the voter list in 2012 for the last time.