Staff Correspondent
The Election Commission approved the result of 435 upazilas elections for gazette notifications and kept pending the results of 40 upazilas out of the 475 upazilas where polling were held on January 22 amid irregularities.
Among the 435 upazilas, the results of 427 upazilas in 62 districts have already been sent to the BG Press for gazette notifications and the remaining results will be sent for gazette notifications today.
The results of seven upazilas, out of 40 upazilas with results pending, have been suspended and the commission launched a judicial inquiry because of allegation of irregularities, stuffing of ballot boxes, capturing of polling centres and intimidation.
‘The commission decided not to publish the results of 33 more upazila elections until further scrutiny. After scrutiny, the commission will decide whether the results are sound, and may be published in gazette, or whether judicial enquiries will be required,’ said Abdul Baten, senior assistant secretary of the commission secretariat
The election commission announced the schedule of elections to all the 481 functional upazilas, but polling to four upazila parishads were suspended during voting and elections to two upazila parishads were postponed before the voting.
‘The results of 427 upazilas in 62 districts have already been sent to the BG Press for gazette notifications,’ Baten told reporters.
He said that publication of the results of 33 upazilas polls had been kept pending. ‘The results of upazilas polls in two more district — Feni and Lakshmipur — will be approved on Thursday,’ Baten said.
The 33 upazilas are Gazaria in Munshiganj, Kishoreganj in Nilphamari, Jagannathpur in Sylhet, Islampur and Madarganj in Jamalpur, Raipur in Lakshmipur, Daulatpur in Manikganj, Pakundia in Kishoreganj, Muladi in Barisal, sadar and Saghata in Gaibandha, Daudkandi, Chandina Nangalkot and Chauddagram in Comilla, Kachua in Chandpur, Morrelganj and Sarankhola in Bagerhat, Fatikchari in Chittagong, Ajmiriganj in Habignaj, sadar and Atpara in Netrakona, Bhaluka and Nandail in Mymensingh, Kasba and Ashuganj in Brahmanbaria, Keranignaj in Dhaka, Zianagar in Pirojpur, Ullapara and Chowhali in Sirajganj, Harinakunda in Jhenaidah, sadar in Madaripur and Fulgazi in Feni.
The commission on January 27 suspended the results of seven upazila polls as it had found proof of irregularities, stuffing of ballot boxes, capturing of polling centres and intimidation in elections.
The seven upazilas are Banchharampur in Brahmanbaria, Araihazar in Narayanganj, Teknaf in Cox’s Bazar, Kaliganj in Gazipur, Mehendiganj in Barisal, Muradnagar in Comilla and Raipura in Narsingdi where Awami League-backed candidates were declared elected chairmen.
The commission during polling hours suspended elections to four, out of the 481 upazilas, on January 22.
The upazilas are sadar in Brahmanbaria, Ramganj in Lakshmipur, Barura in Comilla and Belkuchi in Sirajganj.
The commission early January 22, eight hours before the polling, postponed elections to the Ukhia upazila parishad in Cox’s Bazar over the snatching of ballot boxes and papers.
The commission on January 15 postponed elections to the Dighinala upazila parishad in Khagrachari as a chairman candidate was forced to withdraw his candidature.
Soon after the elections, complaints regarding irregularities in polling started pouring in at the EC secretariat.
About 200 complaints have so far been lodged by candidates demanding re-elections to a number of polling centres or to all the centres in some cases.
Courtesy: newagebd.com
