Presidential election by February 23
The Election Commission yesterday said the presidential election will be held sometime between January 23 and February 23.
EC Secretary Jahangir Alam, after a meeting at the EC office, said the election process has already begun.
"We will contact the Parliament Secretariat and fix the date of a meeting between the chief election commissioner and the Speaker. The election will be held sometime between January 23 and February 23."
On April 24, 2018, President Abdul Hamid took oath as the head of the state for the second consecutive term, which will expire on April 24 this year.
Hamid's first five-year tenure had expired on the same date in 2018, after he took office in 2013.
According to article 123 of the constitution, the presidential election must be held 90 to 60 days before the expiry of the five-year term.
And as per the constitution, Hamid cannot become president for another term, as he was elected for two terms.
Speaking to reporters at her Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban office yesterday, Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury said Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Habibul Awal communicated with her and they are likely to hold a meeting regarding the election this week.
"At the meeting, the CEC would come up with a draft schedule for the presidential election, which he will announce as per his convenient time."
The commission yesterday also finalised its proposal for the amendment of some clauses in the electoral law for reserved seats for women in the Jatiya Sangsad.
Through a constitutional amendment in 2011, the number of reserved seats for women had increased from 45 to 50. But the number of seats in the electoral law still 45. So the EC has now proposed amending the law and changing the number to 50.
On the other hand, the deposit for candidates for the women's seats was proposed to be raised to Tk 20,000 from Tk 10,000, Jahangir said.
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