Ballot papers to be sent in morning: EC Secretary

Election Commission (EC) Secretary Helal Uddin Ahmed said, to prevent irregularities in the upcoming municipal council elections ballot papers will be sent in the morning of voting day instead of the night before the election. Voting will take place from 9 am instead of 8 am and it will conclude at 5 pm.

The EC Secretary said these while replying questions of newsmen at the media center of Nirbachan Bhaban in the capital on Monday.

Helal Uddin Ahmed said, allegations have come including overnight ballot box fill up. To drive away the allegations EC has taken different steps. Technologies will be used. We have taken decision to send ballot papers to the centers in the morning. Decision was taken to send the ballot papers in the morning to the centers nearby.

He said, if question papers for public examinations are possible to send in the morning then ballot papers also can be sent in the morning. The decision will be effective from the upcoming municipal council elections. For that reason voting will begin from 9 am instead of 8 am.

The EC Secretary said, normally EVM cannot be used before a specific time. There is no scope to open it before 8 am.

Helal Uddin Ahmed said, voting was peaceful in the second phase upazila council elections in 116 upazilas under 16 districts. Voting was suspended in only eight centers out of 7 thousand 39 centers.

AH