Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Habibul Awal on Saturday warned that if any attempt of rigging is reported anywhere on the day of 12th Jatiya Sangsad (JS) election, voting will be suspended there immediately.
"If there is any allegation of vote rigging at any polling booth, the Election Commission will suspend voting in the polling station immediately," the CEC said at a view exchange meeting with the JS polls candidates at the auditorium of Returning Officers (ROs) in Barishal.
He said, "We want to ensure a free, fair and neutral election and would spare none if anyone tries to obstruct it," the CEC said.
CEC Kazi Habiul Awal also urged the candidates to follow the electoral code of conduct strictly.
He also asked the ROs to follow the electoral code and come out of the belief that irregularities must be happened in the voting field.
"Follow electoral code strictly and come out of the belief that irregularities must be done in the voting field," he said while addressing the ROs. Barishal Divisional Commissioner Shawkat Ali presided over the meeting while Election Commission Secretary Mohammad Jahangir Alam, Barishal Range Deputy Inspector General Jamil Hasan, Police Commissioner Jihadul Kabir, Returning Officer and Deputy Commissioner Shahidul Islam were present there.
The JS polls will be held on January 7, 2024 in participation with over two thousand candidates from at least 28 political parties and a large number of independent candidates.
In view of holding the JS polls free, fair and in a peaceful manner, the EC has decided to deploy a large contingent of army personnel across the country while over 7.5 lakh personnel from different law-enforcement and security agencies will be engaged.
Besides, 300 Judicial Enquiry Committees are working on the field to maintain the electoral code of conduct while 802 executive magistrates will remain active with mobile court operations.
According to the EC official sources, the number of total polling centres is 42,103 and total voters are 11,96,81,633. Among the total voters, 6,07,71,000 are male, 5,89,19,202 are female and 825 are masculine gendre.
Besides, a total of 9,09,529 officials and employees are going to be engaged in the polls duties. Of them 4,06,364 are presiding officers, 2,87,722 assistant presiding officers and 5,75,443 polling officers.
