The Election Commission has unveiled the election schedule for 152 upazila parishads across the country, marking the first phase of the electoral process. Polling is set to take place on May 8 as per the announced schedule.
The decision was reached during the 29th meeting of the Election Commission, chaired by Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Habibul Awal, held at 11:00 on Thursday. The schedule was formally announced during the meeting.
According to the details shared in the meeting, nominations for candidates will be accepted on April 15, followed by scrutiny on April 17, and withdrawal on April 22. Additionally, symbols will be allotted to candidates on April 23.
Out of the 152 upazilas, 22 will utilize Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) while the remaining will follow the traditional ballot system. The subsequent phases of voting are scheduled for May 23, May 29, and June 5.
The history of upazila parishad elections dates back to 1985, with previous instances of single-day voting occurring in 1990 and 2009. Notably, the 2014 upazila elections were conducted in six phases, followed by the fifth upazila parishad elections in 2019, which were held in five phases. Currently, there are a total of 492 upazilas across the country.
