53 lakh new voters added to draft EC list
The Election Commission yesterday disclosed the update of the countrywide draft voter list, adding 53.66 lakh voters.
Of the new voters, around 27.52 lakh are male and 26.13 lakh female, said Election Commission’s NID Wing director general Brig Gen Mohammad Sidul Islam, in a press briefing.
He said 353 transgender people, who registered their names identifying themselves as Hijra, were included in voters draft list for the first time.
The current number of electorates is 10.96 crore, according to the draft voter list. Before the last parliamentary election, the number of voters was 10.42 crore, said Mohammad Sidul Islam.
Of them, 5.53 crore are male and 5.42 crore are female.
Besides, names of 13.92 lakh voters who died were dropped form the list.
Sidul Islam said during data collection between April 24 and May 19 last year, enumerators of EC collected data of citizens who were born on or before January 1 in 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2004, and the latest draft list contains names of those born on or before January 1 of 2001 and 2002.
“We will publish draft lists gradually in 2021 and 2022 with information of citizens who were born on or before January 1, 2003 and 2004; they would gradually be included in the electoral roll after reaching the age of 18,” he said.
The draft voter list was made available at district and upazila election offices. People will get a chance to correct their information and file any complains about the new list by February 5 .
The correction and complains may include -- amending personal information and address, excluding names of deceased persons, appeal for migration from one area to another and any objection against any newly-registered voters, said EC officials.
Officials will complete corrections and resolve the disputes by February 22, and the final list will be published on March 1.
BILL PLACED AT JS TO EXTEND DEADLINE
Meanwhile, a bill titled “Electoral Rolls (Amendment) Bill 2020” was placed in parliament yesterday, aimed at extending the deadline for updating voter lists till March 2 instead of January 31 every year.
Law Minister Anisul Huq placed the bill, which was sent to the parliamentary standing committee on the respective ministry for further scrutiny. The parliamentary standing committee on law was asked to submit its report before the House within three working days.
While placing the proposed law, the minister said the amendment was brought to the existing Electoral Rolls Act 2009 aiming to extend the timeframe till March 1, as it is difficult to update all the voter lists within only 29 days from January 2 to January 31.
According to article 11 of the existing Electoral Rolls Act 2009, there is a provision to update all voter lists from January 2 to January 31 every year.
The law minister also said the cabinet meeting earlier also decided to observe national voter day on March 2 instead of March 1 every year. crore, said Mohammad Sidul Islam.
Of them, 5.53 crore are male and 5.42 crore female.
Besides, names of 13.92 lakh voters who died were dropped from the list.
Sidul Islam said during data collection between April 24 and May 19 last year, enumerators of EC collected data of citizens who were born on or before January 1 in 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2004, and the latest draft list contains names of those born on or before January 1 of 2001 and 2002.
“We will publish draft lists gradually in 2021 and 2022 with information of citizens who were born on or before January 1, 2003 and 2004; they would gradually be included in the electoral roll after reaching the age of 18,” he said.
The draft voter list was made available at district and upazila election offices. People will get a chance to correct their information and file any complains about the new list by February 5.
The correction and complains may include -- amending personal information and address, excluding names of deceased persons, appeal for migration from one area to another and any objection against any newly-registered voters, said EC officials.
Officials will complete corrections and resolve the disputes by February 22, and the final list will be published on March 1.
BILL PLACED AT JS TO EXTEND DEADLINE
Meanwhile, a bill titled “Electoral Rolls (Amendment) Bill 2020” was placed in parliament yesterday, aimed at extending the deadline for updating voter lists till March 2 instead of January 31 every year.
Law Minister Anisul Huq placed the bill, which was sent to the parliamentary standing committee on the respective ministry for further scrutiny. The parliamentary standing committee on law was asked to submit its report before the House within three working days.
While placing the proposed law, the minister said the amendment was brought to the existing Electoral Rolls Act 2009 aiming to extend the timeframe till March 1, as it is difficult to update all the voter lists within only 29 days from January 2 to January 31.
According to article 11 of the existing Electoral Rolls Act 2009, there is a provision to update all voter lists from January 2 to January 31 every year. The law minister also said the cabinet meeting earlier also decided to observe national voter day on March 2 instead of March 1 every year.
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