EC likely to postpone polls in 3 Feni UPs

The Election Commission may suspend elections in three union parishads (UPs) in Feni following allegations that BNP aspirants have faced obstructions and threats by ruling Awami League men in submitting nomination papers.

Chikhila, Boxmahmud, and Mirzanagar unions of Parshuram upazila are set to go to polls on March 31, and the deadline for filing nomination papers was March 2.

The deadline was extended by one day following the allegations, but the BNP aspirants did not file nomination papers, paving the way for the three AL chairman candidates in the unions to be elected unopposed. Additionally 23 councillor aspirants, out of 36, are set to be elected uncontested there.

Officials said the EC planned to form a committee to investigate the issue and suspend polling there.

"The election commissioners discussed the issue today. The final decision will be taken tomorrow," EC's secretary Sirazul Islam told The Daily Star last night.

The commission suspended polls in six UPs in Feni's Phulgazi upazila on March 2, and requested the LGRD ministry to suspend the upazila chairman for influencing the election there. The ministry suspended him Sunday.

Besides, the EC also plans to issue warning notices to two MPs -- one in Barguna and the other in Pabna -- to stay away from electoral activities.

As per law, ministers and MPs can neither join electoral activities nor stay in electoral areas during union polls.  

Election to 732 UPs will be held on March 22 in the first phase and 650 UPs on March 31 in the second phase. Over 2,800 more unions will go to polls in four phases till June.