EC abuzz with DCC elections preparations

The Election Commission (EC) is abuzz with preparations for holding elections to Dhaka’s two city corporations by June.

A hefty fund worth Tk 450 million has already been sought from the government.

The complexities around demarcation will be resolved in the coming two months, say the secretaries to LGRD and EC. And all arrangements are being made for the much-delayed polls.

The last election to then undivided Dhaka City Corporation was held in 2002, with its term ending in May 2007.

There have been two initiatives to hold polls during emergency rule and when an Awami League-led government came to power in 2008, but none got through.

The DCC was then bifurcated on Nov 30, 2011 – with 56 Wards going under South and 36 Wards under North.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina late last year had reportedly asked for holding the key local government polls this month, but Election Commission had said they could not complete preparations within the time.

EC Secretary Md Sirajul Islam on Sunday sent a letter to the Finance Division requesting allocation of Tk 450 million for staging the DCC polls in the current financial year, which will end on June 30.

EC officials said latest voter list would be finalised by Jan 31 and they were considering May-June as the ‘right time’ for the election, when Chittagong City Corporation (CCC) polls were also supposed to be held.

An official preferring anonymity said election schedule might be announced in late March or early April if ‘DCC South is demarcated’.

EC Secretary Islam told bdnews24.com: “We have to keep inform the finance ministry. Otherwise, we would caught unprepared if the government suddenly says delimitation is done.”

“Since we didn’t earmark any fund for the DCC polls, we’re now asking for the money in advance to be ready.”

Local Government Division Secretary Monzur Hossain told bdnews24.com: “Our demarcation part is yet to be finalised. It may take a month at best. The decision on holding polls will follow that (delimitation).

He, however, did not divulge any further details.

Hossain said: “We can complete preparations and hold elections in two months after the demarcation.”

The EC secretary wrote in the latter to the Finance Division: “The DCC North and South elections may take place in the current 2014-15 financial year if the government solve the complexity over the delimitation.”

Different sections are demanding polls to the two city corporations, which are being headed by unelected administrators since the DCC was bifurcated in 2011.