By-election to Kazi Papul’s JS seat on April 11

The by-election to the Lakshmipur-2 seat -- of independent lawmaker Mohammad Shahid Islam, also known as Kazi Papul, that has been vacated on grounds of moral turpitude -- will be held on April 11.

The sixth phase of municipality elections and the first phase of staggered elections of union parishads (UP) will be held on the same day, the Election commission said this afternoon.

EC Secretary Humayun Kabir Khandaker announced the election schedules at a press briefing at the EC office after a commission meeting.

According to the schedule, the last date for submitting nomination papers is March 18. The returning officers will scrutinise nomination papers on March 19, and the last date for withdrawal of candidacy is March 24.

Humayun said that a total of 371 UPs will go to election in the first phase. Also, eleven municipalities will go for polls in the sixth phase on the same day.

He added that elections to the 30 UPs and the municipalities will be conducted using electronic voting machines. The Lakshmipur-2 by-polls will be also conducted through EVMs.