In a bid to get closer to the people, the Election Commission (EC) is planning to set up voters' registration centres in each neighbourhood (para/mahalla) besides those at the existing polling stations used for local government elections.

Earlier on April 5, the chief election commissioner (CEC) announced an 18-month time frame for preparing the voter list with photographs that includes 12 months for the field level task. But the EC recently decided to increase the number of voters' registration teams from 8,000 to 12,000 to do the task within the shortest time possible, even in eight months if possible.

Both the CEC and the experts team of army said it is possible to visit door-to-door for preparing the voter list, but the procedure will require much more time than is required if the task is done by setting up centres.

"We have decided to do the task by setting up voters' registration centres to save time. We do not want to extend the 18-month time frame and if it is possible, we want to complete the task even earlier," CEC ATM Shamsul Huda told reporters yesterday at the EC Secretariat.

On political parties' opposition to the EC procedure, Huda said the political leaders expressed their doubt whether people will visit the centres to be listed as voters. Their opinion and apprehension is positive and it has alerted the EC, he said.

"We are also worried about bringing prospective voters to the centres. It is a challenge and our main aim is to overcome this," he said, seeking cooperation from all--irrespective of affiliation to political parties--in preparing the voter list.

"The way the voters go to polling stations will have to be applied to bring prospective voters to the registration centres. We are planning to assign representatives from local government bodies, both sitting and former, chowkidars and ansars to bring people to the centres," Huda said.

"We are even examining if these centres could be set up in the neighbourhoods," he added.

Election Commissioner Sahul Hossain told The Daily Star that usually a polling station covers one big or two small villages. But if the voters' registration centres are set up in the neighbourhoods, the number of centres will increase for each village and city ward.

In its demonstration, the army team explained to journalists the ways for simultaneous preparation of the voter list and national identity cards.

They said the field level task for voter listing will be completed within five-six months--by January 2008, according to the EC plan to start the task in August.

"A draft electoral roll of an area will be published one day after the task for that area is completed. And we hope that the Election Commission will get the master copy of the voter list with photographs after five-six months," a senior army official told reporters.

Talking to reporters, CEC Huda however said he cannot guess any time line until the task begins at the field level.

The army experts team said they suggested for collecting particulars from people aged 16 and above. They showed reporters a form that will collect particulars about a prospective voter on 25-26 issues. However, the EC will decide about the form, they said.

Asked if army personnel will be involved at the root level of the task, they said the EC will take decision in this regard.

Explaining the plan, the army team said the voters' registration forms will be distributed among those who will visit the centres and the officials at the centres will help the prospective voters fill them in.

During the demonstration, the army team prepared a sample voter list containing particulars of two of the present reporters and prepared their national identity cards using a computer program in about 20 minutes.

The software was developed locally under the supervision of the army, they said.

On the political parties' demand for consultation with them on preparing the voter list, the CEC said the preparation of the voter list with photographs is a settled issue. The political parties demanded it, and so the EC did not consult with them.

"If a consensus is reached on some major issue, it is the responsibility of the Election Commission to decide how the task will be implemented. It is not possible to discuss all things with the political parties," he added.

"However, we are still saying that the political parties are our main clients and nothing will be done without discussing with them," the CEC said.

On the political parties' demand for following the laws while preparing the voter list, he said the existing laws do not allow a voter list with photographs. "We have decided to amend the laws for voter list with photographs," Huda said.