Reschedule for DNCC mayoral polls soon: CEC

Chief Election Commissioner KM Nurul Huda today said the commission will announce soon the reschedule for election to Dhaka North City Corporation mayoral post.

“We will hold a meeting with all the election commissioners very soon to discuss about the fresh schedule for the election,” the CEC told reporters after a programme at his office in Dhaka.  

Responding to a query, KM Nurul Huda said the polls will be held at a day during the upazila election, which is likely to be held in phases from the first week of March.  

EC Secretary Helal Uddin Ahmed on January 14 said the commission is likely to announce the schedule for the upazila parishad polls in the first week of February.

Meanwhile, the High Court today cleared the way for holding elections to the city corporation mayoral post and polls in the 36 new wards under the two Dhaka city corporations.

The court lifted its earlier order that stayed the process for holding the DNCC and DSCC elections.

WHY THE POLLS WERE STAYED?

On February 25, 2018, the Supreme Court asked the HC to expedite hearing and disposal of its previous rules that halted the by-election to Dhaka North City Corporation mayoral post and polls in the 36 new wards under two Dhaka city corporations.

The process for holding the elections was to remain halted until the HC rules are disposed of, the court said.

Following three writ petitions, the HC issued three rules on January 17 and 18, asking the government and the EC to explain why the schedule for holding the by-polls to the DNCC mayoral post and elections in the new wards in DNCC and Dhaka South City Corporation should not be declared illegal.

It also stayed the election schedule for six months.

The by-polls to the DNCC mayoral post and the elections to 36 councillor posts in the 36 new wards -- 18 in DNCC and 18 in DSCC -- were scheduled to be on February 26, 2018.

The DNCC mayoral post fell vacant with the death of Annisul Huq on November 30 last year.