The Election Commission (EC) on Friday postponed the election for Naogaon-2 constituency due to the death of independent candidate Aminul Haque.
The decision to defer the election was taken from a meeting held at Nirbachan Bhaban in Dhaka on Friday afternoon, according to the EC sources.
Candidate Aminul Haque, who was contesting from the Naogaon-2 seat, died while undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Dhaka in the morning.
On December 3, the EC issued a circular saying that if any final candidate dies in the upcoming 12th parliamentary election, voting in that constituency will be postponed.
As per the circular, it was already known that the voting in this constituency would be postponed as a candidate is no more.
Naogaon Deputy Commissioner and Returning Officer Md Golam Mowla said that independent candidate Aminul Haque took the election symbol through a representative on Thursday evening after returning his candidacy following a High Court verdict.
He said measures will be taken as per rules after the death of the candidate.
According to the EC directive, election activities of the concerned constituency will have to be canceled through a public notice as per article 17 of the Representation of the People Order (RPO), 1972 if a validly nominated candidate dies or the candidature is canceled as per the provisions of articles 91 A and 91E of the RPO.
Then the action taken should be immediately reported to the EC while the organisation will announce a new schedule for the constituency.
According to the EC, next measures will have to be taken to hold the election and those whose nomination papers were valid earlier will not have to submit new nomination papers.
Apart from Aminul Haque, there are three more candidates-Awami League nominated candidate and incumbent MP Shahiduzzaman Sarker, Jatiya Party candidate Tofazzal Hossain and independent candidate Awami League leader Akhtarul Islam.
