New rule allows voter to register until a month before election schedule

“Now, anyone who turns 18 at least a month before the schedule announcement will be able to register as a voter,” an official says

The Advisory Council has approved the draft of the Voters' List (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025, creating an opportunity for citizens to register as voters up to one month before the announcement of the national election schedule.

The council, chaired by Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus, gave both in-principle and final approval to the draft during its meeting at his office on Thursday, according to Senior Assistant Press Secretary Foyez Ahammad.

Explaining the changes later at a briefing held at the Foreign Service Academy, he said: “Until now, citizens who turned 18 by December of any given year could only be included in the updated voter list in January of the following year.

“Each year, the Election Commission publishes a draft list on Jan 2 and the final one on Mar 2. Those who became eligible to vote after that period and before the national elections could not vote and had to wait for the next election.”

He continued, “The new amendment addresses this gap. Since the Election Commission is required to finalise the voter list before announcing the election schedule, those who become eligible within a reasonable timeframe should be allowed to register.

“Now, anyone who turns 18 at least one month before the schedule announcement will be able to register as a voter.”