Gazipur city, Kishoreganj-4 polls in July

The Election Commission has announced schedules for holding polls for Gazipur City Corporation for the first time ever -- and also for the by-polls of Kishoreganj-4 constituency.

Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmad said the Gazipur City Corporation elections will be held on Jul 6.

By-polls for Kishoreganj-4, recently vacated after Abdul Hamid was elected President, will be held on Jul 3.

Kishoreganj-4 by polls

Bypolls in this constituency that includes Itna, Mithamain and Astagram Upazilas will enable the ruling Awami League gauge their popularity with barely seven months left for the tenure of the present government.

Last date for filing of nomination papers is Jun 6. Screening of these papers will be done on Jun 9 and nomination withdrawal date will be accepted until Jun 17.

An election in the constituency must be held within Jul 22 as Abdul Hamid vacated his seat on Apr 22.

Mymensingh Senior District Election Officer Jahid Hossain will be the Returning officer of this election. Three other district Polling Officers will function as Assistant Returning Officers.

The constituency includes 118 polling centres across the 24 Unions of the three districts comprising of 279,719 voters.

Gazipur City Corporation polls

According to schedule, nomination papers for the maiden city polls in Gazipur will have to be filed in within Jun 6. Screening process will be done on Jun 9 and the last date for nomination withdrawal is Jun 17.

The government created the Gazipur City Corporation covering almost 330 square kilometers in Gazipur and Tongi municipality on Jan 7 this year.

On Jan 16, it was formally declared as the eleventh City Corporation of the country.

It was then decided to hold the first ever polls in Gazipur within July 15.

Deputy Secretary Motiar Rahman of the EC Secretariat has been appointed as the Returning Officer for this election. Four Upazila Polling Officers have been made Assistant Returning Officers.

Local government published a gazette on the newly-formed City Corporation on Apr 28, which said there were 1,026,967 voters in the 57 general wards and 19 reserved wards for women.

Election Commission wants to hold polls for general ward-25 with electronic voting machines (EVM).