Polls in 617 UPs today amid apprehension of clashes

The third phase of polls in 617 Union Parishads (UPs) will be held today with the same apprehension of violence and irregularities like the previous two phases, when at least 50 people were killed and several hundred injured. The Election Commission (EC) has apparently not taken any extra measures, such as deployment of additional law enforcers at the polling centres, keeping it at 20 personnel for each centre. EC sources said there is no necessity to deploy more forces since they have gathered experience in keeping violence in check from the previous phases. It has assured voters that they would be able to cast votes without fear as law enforcers would provide security. However, voters fear violence, as they believe the EC could not do much to curb violence in the previous polls. Pre-election violence, too, was witnessed in the third phase, where supporters of rival candidates were locked in clashes and there were no major steps taken by the EC to counter it, except imposing some fines and withdrawal of the Superintendent of Police and Officer-in-Charge from Gazipur. The EC sources stated that it has directed the law enforces to utilise their power to the fullest to curb violence in elections. “Nobody will be spared, irrespective of the party he belongs to, if he is found involved in illegal activities,” Election Commissioner Md Shah Nawaz told journalists on Thursday.
The EC had completed all necessary preparations to hold polls in 620 UPs across the country. But the polls in three unions in Madaripur, Shariatpur and Sirajganj were suspended due to legal complications, namely 9 No. Shilarchar UP of Madaripur Sadar, 11 No. Mahmudpur UP of Palang Upazila of Shariatpur and Baradhul UP of Belkuchi of Sirajganj. The election will begin at 8am and continue till 4pm without any break. A total of 1,09,80,355 voters will be casting their votes.
In all, 2,672 Chairman candidates will contest the polls. Of these, 1,487 candidates are politically nominated and the rest of the 1,185 candidate will contest  as Independent. Awami League has 620 candidates, BNP 539 and Jatiya Party 167. BNP does not have Chairman candidates in 81 UPs. In the first phase, BNP did not have candidates in 119 UPs, 79 in the second phase and 106 in the fourth phase. Besides, a total of 6,298 will contest for the Member posts reserved for women and 20,943 for the general Member posts.
Meanwhile, a total of 25 Chairman candidates have been elected unopposed from the ruling Awami League. Also, 79 from women Members and 174 from general Members have been elected uncontested. The law enforcers, including police, RAB, BGB, Armed Police Battalion and Ansar have been deployed in the elections areas to maintain law and order at the centres. There will be 20 police and Ansar members, including a police officer at each polling centre to ensure security.
The sources said a total of 255 Executive Magistrates and 85 Judicial Magistrates have been deployed for the purpose. In each upazila, four Executive Magistrates and one Judicial Magistrate have been deployed for rapid trial for the violation of electoral code. The law enforcers and magistrates will do their duties on the day of election and the next day to maintain law and order. The EC further said mobile and striking forces of police and RAB will be positioned outside the centres to fend off violence. The Commission has urged the political parties, their supporters and candidates to cooperate with the EC to hold peaceful elections.

 

Polls in 617 UPs today amid apprehension of clashes

The third phase of polls in 617 Union Parishads (UPs) will be held today with the same apprehension of violence and irregularities like the previous two phases, when at least 50 people were killed and several hundred injured. The Election Commission (EC) has apparently not taken any extra measures, such as deployment of additional law enforcers at the polling centres, keeping it at 20 personnel for each centre. EC sources said there is no necessity to deploy more forces since they have gathered experience in keeping violence in check from the previous phases. It has assured voters that they would be able to cast votes without fear as law enforcers would provide security. However, voters fear violence, as they believe the EC could not do much to curb violence in the previous polls. Pre-election violence, too, was witnessed in the third phase, where supporters of rival candidates were locked in clashes and there were no major steps taken by the EC to counter it, except imposing some fines and withdrawal of the Superintendent of Police and Officer-in-Charge from Gazipur. The EC sources stated that it has directed the law enforces to utilise their power to the fullest to curb violence in elections. Nobody will be spared, irrespective of the party he belongs to, if he is found involved in illegal activities, Election Commissioner Md Shah Nawaz told journalists on Thursday. The EC had completed all necessary preparations to hold polls in 620 UPs across the country. But the polls in three unions in Madaripur, Shariatpur and Sirajganj were suspended due to legal complications, namely 9 No. Shilarchar UP of Madaripur Sadar, 11 No. Mahmudpur UP of Palang Upazila of Shariatpur and Baradhul UP of Belkuchi of Sirajganj. The election will begin at 8am and continue till 4pm without any break. A total of 1,09,80,355 voters will be casting their votes. In all, 2,672 Chairman candidates will contest the polls. Of these, 1,487 candidates are politically nominated and the rest of the 1,185 candidate will contest as Independent. Awami League has 620 candidates, BNP 539 and Jatiya Party 167. BNP does not have Chairman candidates in 81 UPs. In the first phase, BNP did not have candidates in 119 UPs, 79 in the second phase and 106 in the fourth phase. Besides, a total of 6,298 will contest for the Member posts reserved for women and 20,943 for the general Member posts. Meanwhile, a total of 25 Chairman candidates have been elected unopposed from the ruling Awami League. Also, 79 from women Members and 174 from general Members have been elected uncontested. The law enforcers, including police, RAB, BGB, Armed Police Battalion and Ansar have been deployed in the elections areas to maintain law and order at the centres. There will be 20 police and Ansar members, including a police officer at each polling centre to ensure security. The sources said a total of 255 Executive Magistrates and 85 Judicial Magistrates have been deployed for the purpose. In each upazila, four Executive Magistrates and one Judicial Magistrate have been deployed for rapid trial for the violation of electoral code. The law enforcers and magistrates will do their duties on the day of election and the next day to maintain law and order. The EC further said mobile and striking forces of police and RAB will be positioned outside the centres to fend off violence. The Commission has urged the political parties, their supporters and candidates to cooperate with the EC to hold peaceful elections.