Distribution of nomination papers for the Barisal City Corporation elections scheduled to be held on June 15 started on Sunday. On the first day a total of 31 sets of nomination papers were collected by the aspirant candidates. Mujibur Rahman, Khulna regional election commissioner and returning officer for BCC election, disclosing this, said two nomination papers for mayoral candidates, 23 for general ward councilors and 6 for reserved female ward councilors were distributed on first day.
One Boni Amin collected a set of nomination paper on behalf of the incumbent mayor and city AL president Shawkat Hossain Hiron for mayoral post.
Advocate Robiul Islam collected a set of nomination papers in favour of Mahmudur Rahman Khan Mamun, joint secretary of district Juba League, who is running a campaign for the mayoral post since long.
Nomination paper is free of cost, but each candidate has to collect CD of voter-list depositing Tk 1,500 with the EC bank account.
Besides, during submission of the nomination papers every candidate for mayoral post has to deposit Tk 20,000, ward councilor post Tk 10,000 and reserved female ward councilor post Tk 15,000 as security money, returning officer said.
According to the EC declared schedule, nomination papers of the aspirant candidates of BCC elections would be sold and accepted till May 12.
After scrutiny of the nomination papers on May 15 and 16, final list of candidates would be published on May 26 when the time for withdrawal would end.
Then candidates would be allotted symbols from 20 varieties for mayoral post, 30 for general ward councilors and 18 for reserved female councilors, he added.
However probable candidates, especially the ward councilor candidates, started election campaign by pasting posters, publishing advertisement, hanging banners of greetings, attending social functions, gathering and personally contacting peoples of their localities.
Election office sources said the total number of voters was 1,64,950 in first Barisal City Corporation Election elections held on March 20, 2003.
It increased to 1,79,293 in the second elections held on August 4, 2008 and now it rose to 2,10,482 for the upcoming elections.
-With New Age input
