The Election Commission (EC) has cancelled all types of leaves and holidays for all of its officials and employees in view of taking allout preparations in order to facilitating the 11th Parliamentary Polls in a free and fair manner.
This decision was taken as the election is approaching nearer since the EC has initially targeted to take votes between 18th and 20th December.
The EC has issued an official notification with effect from 1st of November asking all the officials and employees of the EC secretariat for attending office on Friday, Saturday and other public holidays. The EC staff have also been asked not to go on leaves and to work additional hours if requires to fulfill daily targets.
This directive is also effective for the EC officials and employees at district and field offices and support staff at accounts, transport and technology sub-divisions.
“This notification will remain effective upto announcement of results of the 11th Parliamentary Polls,” EC Secretary Helaluddin Ahmad told
The New Nation last evening.
He said all of the officials and employees worked on Friday (yesterday) in compliance of the notification.
The EC has become the premier administrative authority for the election-time government in accordance with the Constitution. It operates returning officers, polling officials and executive magistrates to control law and order to ensure the climate conducive to hold a free and fair election.
The EC also has to complete preparations of voter list and print ballot papers and to ensure their safe transfer to polling centres and use in election without any flaws.
The EC has started its due course of actions with regard to holding the 11th Parliamentary Polls in a free and fair manner. On November 1, the EC delegation met President Abdul Hamid to inform about its preparations.
After the meeting, Chief Election Commissioner KM Nurul Huda told reporters that the EC would sit on November 4 to decide the date of announcement of election schedule. The CEC said the progress of its preparations were satisfactory.
A day before, EC Secretary told a press conference that they would put in best efforts to hold the election between December 18 and 20.
The previous parliamentary election was held on January 5′ 2014.
Therefore, there is a Constitutional obligation to hold the next parliamentary polls within 90 days before the last regime expires on January 28′ 2019.
