The commission has prepared a year-long roadmap ahead of the next parliamentary elections
The commission has prepared a year-long roadmap ahead of the next parliamentary electionsIn the following months, the commission will propose changes to the existing laws and prepare itself for the elections.
The EC will arrange views exchange meetings with the parties as well as other stakeholders such as civil society members, journalists and development agencies to finalise a proposal for arranging a credible parliamentary election, EC Secretary Mohammad Abdullah told BSS on Friday.
He said a draft roadmap or work plan has already been prepared and it will be submitted to a commission meeting on May 14 for approval.
The EC secretary said: “The EC wants to bring some necessary amendments to the existing law and a draft will be prepared soon.”
The 11th Jatiya Sangsad election will be held between October 30, 2018 and January 28, 2019 under the incumbent EC.
Giving priority to the top five components of parliamentary elections before voting, a work plan has been taken to complete the works before August 2018.
According to the roadmap, the commission will formulate a draft to amend the relevant laws and regulations within August this year and fix the schedule for talks with political parties, civil society and journalists.
In November, the draft laws will be sent to the Law Ministry and in December, it will be finalised.
The EC will revise the delimitation of constituencies between August and November, register new political parties between October and February, update the voter list and send CDs of constituency-wise voter lists for candidates to grassroots between September and August, print election materials and send them to the grassroots between January and October next year.
As per the roadmap, all ballot boxes will be made usable at least 30 days before voting, Gazette of vote centres will be published and sent to all concerned starting June next year and at least 25 days before the announcement of election schedule.
Printing of election manuals and directories will be completed between July 2018 and 20 days before announcement of election schedule, management of showing election results though digital monitors at Shahbagh, Gulistan and Motijheel will be taken 15 days before announcement of election schedule.
Other plans in the roadmap include setting up a live display outside the EC headquarters to show election results, preparing budget, completing inter-ministerial activities, making EVM usable and appointing election officers.
Issues of appointment of law enforcement agencies and meetings, training and briefing, election campaigning activities, election campaign of political parties, appointing local and foreign observers of EC and private levels, strengthening telecommunication systems, disseminating unofficial primary results, collecting situation reports from voting areas through an electronic system, forming election cost monitoring committee and holding ICT facilities are in the roadmap.
