Keep watch on 390 presiding officers

The Election Commission has directed the returning officers of 32 upazilas to keep watch on 390 presiding officers and scrutinise their previous records.
The EC made the move after an intelligence agency identified presiding officers to be loyal to anti-government camp.
An intelligence report last week said those presiding officers were involved in negative activities and criticised the government while carrying out their duties.
“We didn't take any decision on the report, rather we've directed the returning officers to decide whether they would act as presiding officer or not,” an election commissioner told The Daily Star yesterday.
If the 390 presiding officers are on duty, the retuning officers should keep a vigil on them, he added.
Meanwhile, the EC on Monday asked the returning officers to take special measures for ensuring security of religious minorities during the upazila polls.
The special measures include enhancing patrol by law enforcers at minority-dominated areas; conducting mobile courts round the clock; keep a vigil on those who were involved in previous attacks on minorities, arranging secret monitoring at different vulnerable polling centres and involving community people in escorting minorities.    
The EC has identified around 40 percent of the total 6,889 polling centres in 97 upazilas as “important” (vulnerable), according to EC sources.