Record candidates vie for upazila posts

The deadline for filing applications for candidacy in the long overdue Upazila Parishad elections slated for January 22 expires today.
A large number of aspirants have sought candidacy since the announcement of the election schedule on November 2. However, uncertainty over the polls still remains as it is supposed to be held under the next political government.
Election Commission (EC) Secretariat officials said a record number of aspirants would file applications for candidacy in three posts -- one of chairman and two of vice chairman -- in 481 Upazila Parishads.
They said field-level election officials have informed them that a large number of aspirants had filed applications with the Returning Officers (ROs) and many will file applications with ROs and assistant ROs today.
Additional deputy commissioners have been appointed as ROs while Upazila executive officers as assistant ROs.
The ROs will scrutinise the applications on December 17, 18 and 19 to find eligible candidates.
The aspirants can file appeal against the ROs' decisions with deputy commissioners who have been given the authority to dispose of the appeals.
Earlier, the EC on November 2 announced that the upazila polls would be held on December 28. But the commission deferred the election date in the face of opposition from the two major electoral alliances led by Awami League (AL) and BNP.
AL and BNP during their tenure did not hold upazila elections.