Staff Reporter :The first phase of election to 752 Union Parishads across the country will be held on March 22. Announcing the polls schedule at a press briefing at Election Commission (EC) secretariat on Thursday afternoon, Election Commissioner M Shah Newaz said that the last dates for filing and withdrawal of nominations are February 22 and March 2 respectively. He said, after the EC completes its scrutiny by February 24, polls symbol will be allocated on March 3. The polls will be held in six phases as Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) examinations are also scheduled at that time.The Election Commissioner said that the second phase of election in 710 Union Parishads will be held on March 31; third phase in 312 Union Parishads on April 23; fourth phase in 728 Union Parishads on May 7; fifth phase in 714 Union Parishad on May 28 and the sixth phase in 660 Union Parishads on June 4. “Country’s law and order situation will remain under control as the elections will be held in phases,” Shah Newaz said. The Election Commissioner warned the law enforcers that if anything wrong was found with the law enforcers, stern action would be taken against them.He said candidates of the upcoming Union Parishad elections will not be allowed to begin electioneering before the polls symbols are officially allocated.The country’s Union Parishads have so far gone to polls eight times — in 1973, 1977, 1983, 1988, 1992, 1997, 2003 and 2011. The 2011 elections, too, were held in two phases.Meanwhile, the Election Commission in an official circular yesterday announced that elections to ten municipalities will be held on March 20.The last date for filing nominations is February 22, and these will be checked on February 24 and 25. The deadline for withdrawing nominations is March 4. The municipalities to hold elections are Haragach in Rangpur, Kaliganj in Jhinaidah, Jhalakathi Sadar and Bhanga in Faridpur, Nangolkot in Comilla, Brahmanbaria Sadar and Kabirhat in Noakhali, Sonagazi in Feni, and Chakaria and Moheskhali in Cox’s Bazar.
