Polling centres under CCTV for three days: EC

The Election Commission has decided to monitor all voting centres with CCTV camera on the day of elections to Dhaka north and south city corporations, for increasing security.

“The secret room at voting booths will not be under CCTV surveillance on voting day,” said an EC circular issued yesterday.

The polling centres will also remain under CCTV coverage on mock voting day (January 30) and the day before the polls (January 31).

EC senior secretary Md Alamgir said they have asked the authorities concerned to keep the CCTV camera active. “It will be helpful to identify culprits if there is any untoward incident,” he said.    

The commission asked the returning officers of DNCC and DSCC to take all necessary steps to use CCTV cameras in every voting centre on the three days.

GENERAL HOLIDAY IN CAPITAL

The government has declared general holiday in the capital on February 1 for the polls. The Ministry of Public Administration published a circular, responding to a call of EC for holding the elections.

The decision has been taken so that the staff and employees of all government, non-government and autonomous bodies and teachers and employees of all government and other educational institutes can take part in voting.

Meanwhile, the EC yesterday asked the commerce ministry to keep Dhaka International Trade Fair (DITF) closed on January 31 and February 1 for city polls.

The EC has taken the decision in order to make sure the Dhaka North and South City Corporation elections be held in a fair and peaceful manner, reads the order, signed by Atiyar Rahman, a deputy secretary of the EC.