The Election Commission will determine the next course of action regarding the DNCC mayoral by-election and new elections to councillors’ posts after getting the papers from the court regarding a three-month stay on the process of holding the polls.

“The EC has come to know that the DNCC election has been stayed by the HC for three months. We haven't received any details in this regard yet. The commission will determine the next course of action after getting the papers from the court,” Helaluddin Ahmed, acting secretary to the EC Secretariat, said shortly after the High Court order yesterday.

Taking to journalists at his office at the Election Bhaban in the capital, he said, “Once we get the HC order, we'll come to know the grounds of the stay order. But, before that, we don't have a clear picture”.

 About the possibility of filing any counter writ, the acting EC secretary said: “After getting the written order, we’ll discuss the matter with legal experts and determine the next course of action.”

Before the HC came up with the order, the EC official, however, claimed that it announced the DNCC schedule for the by-election to the mayoral post and new elections to councillors’ posts after duly examining the provisions of the law.

“It’s the EC’s responsibility to conduct elections. The local government requested us to conduct the polls. Accordingly, we made all necessary preparations for it. The commission had announced the schedule after having examined all necessary laws. So, there was no ground to hold back the polls,” Helaluddin said.

In reply to a query after the court order, Helaluddin said: “We announced the election schedule. A returning officer and executive magistrates have been recruited. We don’t think there is no shortcoming on our part. We don’t have any legal deficiency either.”

When asked whether the local government ministry had any lacunae, the EC secretary said that he did not know anything about it.

About the electoral roll of the particular area, he said: “Right now, I can’t say anything. Once we get the court papers, we’ll know the questions raised by the writ petitioners.”

About the suspension of poll activities, Helaluddin said: “We’ve come to know this through the media. We’ve immense respect for the court. It’s compulsory to follow the order.” On the election of councillors to 18 new wards of the Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC), he said: “The activities of the DSCC will continue as usual as the court has imposed no embargo on it.”

About the extended voter list, he said: “The voter list is ready. The CDs have been published. We don’t have any negligence. The returning officer will be able to say more on this.”

The EC secretary also said: “If the elections are held after three months, a new schedule will be announced. But those who have already collected the forms need not collect the forms again.”

“Once the papers relating to the court order arrive, the returning officer will formally announce the suspension of poll activities. But as the court has given an order, election activities have been stopped from now on,” he added.

DNCC returning officer Md Abul Kashem told the media: “We’ve got the voter list in the CD format. The writ petitioner himself collected his nomination paper on January 15. A copy of the voter list has been given to him in the CD format. His name is also in the CD. We don’t have any problem with the electoral roll.”

The returning officer said at least 19 aspirants had collected forms for the mayor’s post, 71 for the reserved seats, and 412 for the general seats till Tuesday. “But we’ve stopped all election-related activities after the court’s order,” he added.

He also said none of those aspiring for the mayoral post had submitted nomination papers, but two candidates had already submitted papers for contesting the councillors’ posts.