Union Parishad Elections in Five Phases, First Vote on January 21, Schedule in First Half of December: EC

The Election Commission (EC) is preparing to announce the schedule for the first phase of the local government Union Parishad (UP) elections in the first half of December. The Commission is moving forward with a plan to hold voting in the first phase on January 21 next year.

The EC wants to complete elections to around 4,300 Union Parishads in five phases. The five-phase UP election timetable was finalised at the latest Commission meeting chaired by Chief Election Commissioner A M M Nasir Uddin.

After the meeting, Election Commissioner retired Brigadier General Abul Fazl Md Sanaullah announced the voting dates. He said the district election officers concerned will announce the schedule about six weeks before voting. On that basis, the first-phase schedule will be announced in the first half of December.

Under the EC plan, UP elections will begin with the first phase on January 21, 2027. Voting will then be held in the second phase on February 4, the third phase on April 29, the fourth phase on May 13 and the fifth and final phase on May 27. Voting in all phases is planned for Thursdays.

Around 800 to 1,000 Union Parishads may go to polls in the first phase. Sadar upazilas are being given priority in the Commission's plan. Parishads whose terms have expired or whose elections have long been overdue will also get priority. For later phases, unions and upazilas will be selected considering administrative convenience, polling officers and the law and order situation.

Election Commissioner Abul Fazl Md Sanaullah said the election was initially planned in seven phases, but the number was reduced to five due to a shortage of time. Alongside holding the election within the next six to seven months, the Commission had to consider the timetables of two Eids, educational institution examinations and the Bishwa Ijtema.

The Commission sees controlling the law and order situation around the UP elections as one of the biggest challenges. For that reason, the EC wants to finalise the election security plan in a separate meeting with law enforcement agencies. Sanaullah said a preparatory meeting was held with the forces earlier, where the forces said their training activities would be completed by November. Security preparations will be reviewed again in a separate meeting before the election.

The Commission's plan gives importance to polling centre security, identifying risky areas, rapid movement of law enforcement personnel and ensuring voters can travel safely to and from centres. Judicial and executive magistrates will serve if needed. The Commission has also said strict measures will be taken to prevent influence, intimidation and the use of muscle power in the election.

Plans to increase the use of technology include installing CCTV cameras at every polling centre and using body-worn cameras on law enforcement personnel. The plan is to document irregularities, violence or obstruction of duty at polling centres and in election areas through these cameras.

Union Parishad elections are going to be held without party symbols after nearly a decade. Although UP elections are held on a non-partisan basis, the Election Commission wants the cooperation of political parties. Chief Election Commissioner A M M Nasir Uddin has said discussions will be held with registered political parties by November to seek their cooperation in the election. The Commission believes parties may still play a role in favour of candidates they support even without voting on party symbols.

The Commission has said it will take a strict position on implementing the election code of conduct. The Chief Election Commissioner said no one will be spared for violating the code of conduct. Legal action will be taken over intimidating voters, preventing them from going to centres, expelling them from centres or obstructing election officials in their duties.

If a complaint of code-of-conduct violation is proven in investigation, the candidacy of the candidate concerned can be cancelled. If the result of a centre is affected by violence, intimidation or irregularities, the Commission can suspend that centre's result or cancel the election and order fresh voting. The use of posters in the election has been kept banned. Provisions for imprisonment and fines also exist depending on the type of code violation.

Election Commissioner Abdur Rahmanel Masud said the Commission has been preparing in advance to hold the Union Parishad elections. District election officers concerned will announce the schedule 40 to 45 days before voting in line with the Commission's instructions. He said, considering the experience of violence in past local government elections, necessary measures will be taken this time to keep the election environment normal and ensure voter safety. The Commission wants to ensure voters can go to centres without fear, cast their votes and return home safely.