The Election Commission (EC) is unlikely to be able to hold the Upazila Parishad elections in due time as the national election is due in January next.
The tenure of the countrywide Upazila Parishads will start expiring from February 2014, sources at the EC secretariat said.
The election schedules for the Upazila Parishads have to be announced at least 40-45 days before the polling day allowing the contesting candidate 25-30 days for electioneering.
If the 10th parliamentary election is held in mid-January 2014 as per the Constitution, the EC is unlikely to be able to hold the UP elections before March next year.
“We’ll decide the UP polls after the parliamentary elections. We’ve no scope to hold the elections before the national election,” Election Commissioner M Shah Nawaz told UNB.
He said the tenure of most of the Upazila Parishads will expire in April and May next year.
Besides, the commission remained stoic in holding long due by-elections to 34 Upazila Parishads and maiden elections to newly-formed four Upazila Parishads following the expiry of the deadlines for the by-polls and the election.
Both the Local Government Ministry and the EC seem reluctant about arranging elections to local government bodies in due time in compliance with its prescribed rules.
The EC has recently sent a letter to the LGRD Ministry requesting it to set timeframes for the due by-polls to 34 Upazilas and elections to the four Upazilas – Bijoynagar in Brahminbaria, Rangabali in Patuakhali, Taltoli in Barguna and Kalukhali in Rajbari.
The last countrywide Upazila Parishad elections were held on January 22, 2009 amid allegations of violence and anomalies as the polls took place immediately after the 29 December, 2008 parliamentary elections.
The five-year tenure of most of the 481 Upazila Parishads will expire in March, April and May 2014. The tenure of the local government body, as per rules, counts from the first meeting of the respective Upazila Parishad.
According to the Upazila Parishad Act, the elections shall be arranged within 180 days before the expiry of the tenure, and by-polls shall be held within 90 days after falling any chairman and vice chairman post vacant.
Incumbent chairman of Nangalkot Upazila Shahjahan Majumder said his tenure will expire in early March 2014 as their first meeting of the Upazila Parishad was held in the same month in 2009.
Currently, a total of 486 Upazila Parishads, including five new ones, across the country are functioning.
Baidul Alam Majumder, an election expert and secretary of Sujan, said the local government ministry and the EC should be more conscious about following the laws and arranging elections to the local government bodies within the prescribed timeframe.
“This is unfortunate that the government and the commission are not sincere enough to abide by the law to arrange local government body elections in time.” he added.
He also feared that if the elections to Upazila Parishads take place after the parliamentary polls, the violence and anomalies might increase in local body elections due to the influence of political parties.
Source: UNBConnt
