Staff Reporter :The elections to Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC), Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) and Chittagong City Corporation (CCC) will be held on April 28 simultaneously.Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmad announced the polls schedule for the three city corporations at a press briefing after a meeting with the election commissioners and top officials of the Election Commission in the Secretariat in the capital city on Wednesday. According to the polls schedule, the deadline for submission of nomination papers is March 29, while the nomination papers will be scrutinised on April 1 and 2. The last date for withdrawal of candidature is April 9. The symbols of mayors and councilors of the three city corporations will be allocated on April 10.The last election to the undivided Dhaka City Corporation was held in April 2002, and tenures of the elected representatives expired in May 2007. But election was not held for various reasons. The LGRD ministry last month settled the boundary complications and requested the EC to take necessary steps for holding the polls to the two Dhaka city corporations.The last election to the Chittagong City Corporation was held in 2010. Although the polls schedule was announced yesterday, some aspiring candidates for the three city corporations have started their election campaign, violating the law. Dhaka and Chhitagong have been flooding with billboards, posters, banners and festoons. CEC Kazi Rakibuddin asked the aspiring candidates to withdraw the billboards, posters and banners within 48 hours (Friday). Otherwise, they will take legal action against them. According to the law, no candidate nor anyone on behalf of the candidate can start election campaign by pasting posters before the announcement of the polls schedule. The law violators will be fined up to Tk 50,000 or sentenced to maximum six months in jail. The EC can apply the code of conduct after announcing the schedule.As per law, the aspiring candidates can’t start election campaign before April 10. But some candidates, mostly belonging to ruling Awami League, have already started propaganda campaign by raising billboards and occupying roadside walls, fences to attract the voters are now leading the billboards, roadside walls, fences, buildings and other establishments. The billboards and posters have been stuck greeting the city dwellers, seeking their blessings and drawing their attentions. These were also seen with the portraits and many commitments. In some areas, balloons were also seen with the portraits and the commitments.
