STAFF CORRESPONDENT

The Election Commission yesterday announced that voting for the reserved seats for women in the 13th parliament will be held on May 12 and the election schedule for the 50 seats will be declared on April 8.

The commission also decided not to use electronic voting machines (EVMs) in upcoming local government polls. However, no timeline for the elections has yet been set.

Speaking to reporters after a commission meeting at Agargaon in Dhaka, EC Secretary Akhtar Ahmed said the election schedule for women’s reserved seat would include dates for nomination submission, scrutiny, and withdrawal.

According to the Jatiya Sangsad (Reserved Seats for Women) Election Act 2004, the EC must complete the election within 90 days of publishing the final results of a national election in the gazette.

The 13th national election, along with the referendum, was held on February 12, and results were published the next day. Fifty parties, including the BNP, Jamaat, and Jatiya Party, contested the polls. Of them, only nine parties won seats. The remaining 41, including the Jatiya Party, failed to secure any.

Over the women’s seats distribution, Secretary Akhtar said BNP and its allies will get 36 seats; Jamaat and National Citizen Party 13 seats; and independent candidates one seat.

Meanwhile, the EC yesterday evening published the voter list for women’s reserved seat election, containing the names of 296 parliament members eligible to vote.

The EC is also weighing options for about 1.5 lakh idle EVMs, amid a rising shortage, missing units, and uncertainty over disposal.

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