UNB, Dhaka :
The Election Commission would like to stage the first-ever direct elections for the Zila Parishads (district councils) next December 28. At a meeting on Monday, the EC took a decision ‘in principle’ to arrange the election on December 28, with the election schedule to be revealed in mid-November, a highly placed source at the EC Secretariat told UNB.
The Rakibuddin Ahmad-led Commission, due to be replaced in February, is working on a proposal to that effect, that will be placed before the government.
More internally, it is preparing the electoral rules and code of conduct for arranging this most
local of elections in 61 districts across the nation – the three Chittagong Hill Tracts districts Rangamati, Khagrachhari and Bandarban sure to remain conspicuous by their absence.
Unlike other local government bodies, the district council election will be held in non-partisan manner.
Parliament on October 6 last passed the Zila Parishad (Amendment) Bill, 2016, to remove some ambiguities from the Zila Parishad Act, 2000 and clarifying about the formation of ‘electoral college’ with public representatives from all tiers for Zila Parishad election.
Earlier on October 3, Law Minister Anisul Huq told Parliament that the government would publish the gazette of Zila Parishad election after delimitation and the EC would undertake next necessary measures to this effect.
There are 1281 posts for election at 61 zila parishads, he added.
An electoral college will be formed to elect a 21-member body for Zila Parishad that would be comprised of a chairman, 15 general members and five women members from reserved seats.
The electoral college will be constituted with all the elected representatives of different local government bodies of a district like mayors, councillors and reserved councillors of the city corporations, pourasavas, upazila parishad, chairmen, vice chairmen, members and reserved members of the union parishads.
The government in December 2011 appointed administrators in 61 district councils across the country (except the three CHT districts.) In the matter of any incumbent administrator wanting to contest the election, they will have to resign their post first.
The Election Commission would like to stage the first-ever direct elections for the Zila Parishads (district councils) next December 28. At a meeting on Monday, the EC took a decision ‘in principle’ to arrange the election on December 28, with the election schedule to be revealed in mid-November, a highly placed source at the EC Secretariat told UNB.
The Rakibuddin Ahmad-led Commission, due to be replaced in February, is working on a proposal to that effect, that will be placed before the government.
More internally, it is preparing the electoral rules and code of conduct for arranging this most
local of elections in 61 districts across the nation – the three Chittagong Hill Tracts districts Rangamati, Khagrachhari and Bandarban sure to remain conspicuous by their absence.
Unlike other local government bodies, the district council election will be held in non-partisan manner.
Parliament on October 6 last passed the Zila Parishad (Amendment) Bill, 2016, to remove some ambiguities from the Zila Parishad Act, 2000 and clarifying about the formation of ‘electoral college’ with public representatives from all tiers for Zila Parishad election.
Earlier on October 3, Law Minister Anisul Huq told Parliament that the government would publish the gazette of Zila Parishad election after delimitation and the EC would undertake next necessary measures to this effect.
There are 1281 posts for election at 61 zila parishads, he added.
An electoral college will be formed to elect a 21-member body for Zila Parishad that would be comprised of a chairman, 15 general members and five women members from reserved seats.
The electoral college will be constituted with all the elected representatives of different local government bodies of a district like mayors, councillors and reserved councillors of the city corporations, pourasavas, upazila parishad, chairmen, vice chairmen, members and reserved members of the union parishads.
The government in December 2011 appointed administrators in 61 district councils across the country (except the three CHT districts.) In the matter of any incumbent administrator wanting to contest the election, they will have to resign their post first.
