Low voter turnout gives EC no headache, Secretary Helal says

The Election Commission is “happy” about the “peaceful” Upazila council elections, but has “no headache” over the voter turnout, Secretary Helal Uddin Ahmed has said.

Senior Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 24 March 2019, 05:06 PM
Updated : 24 March 2019, 05:34 PM

The staggered elections to the local government body are under way amid boycott by the BNP and most other political parties.

The turnout in the first phase of the elections was 43 percent and it dropped to 41 percent in the second phase. Some 28 candidates were elected unopposed in the first phase, 48 in the second phase and 55 in the third.

The Kakonhat College polling centre in Rajshahi’s Godagari is bereft of voters at 10:30 am on Sunday.

The presence of voters at the polling stations in the third phase elections at 116 Upazilas of 25 districts on Sunday was also low.

Officials assume the turnout will be between 40 and 45 percent.

“We have no headache over the percentage of votes. The issue at stake is whether the polls have been peaceful. The elections were peaceful and we are happy,” EC Secretary Helal told the media in Dhaka after the voting.   

He believes low turnout does not call the acceptability of the elections into question.

“There is no law that makes a percentage of voter turnout mandatory for acceptance in our country,” he said, defiantly. 

Amid the “peaceful” elections, a policeman has been shot at in an attack on a polling station in Chattogram’s Chandnaish.

Elections to 14 centres and entire Katiadi Upazila of Kishoreganj district were halted due to alleged irregularities.

The secretary alleged the BNP was discouraging voters to go to the polling stations after boycotting the elections.

“An alliance has not joined the polls. We’ve noticed that they have campaigned asking the people not to cast their votes,” he said.

Election Commissioner Mahbub Talukdar earlier expressed frustration over the huge number of candidates being elected unopposed.

“How can it be called election if it is not full of contest?” he asked.

The fourth phase of the election is to be held on Mar 31, with the fifth and final phase set for Jun 18.