EC committed to free, fair Thakurgaon-1 by-election: CEC

The Election Commission is committed to holding a free, fair and peaceful by-election in Thakurgaon-1, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) A M M Nasir Uddin said on Sunday (September 27).

Speaking to reporters after inspecting the election monitoring cell at the Election Commission headquarters in Agargaon, Dhaka, the CEC said all necessary preparations had been made for the October 29 vote.

He said adequate law enforcement personnel would be deployed to maintain security and that the monitoring cell would operate in the same manner as it did during the 13th parliamentary election.

“The electoral environment is good,” Nasir Uddin said, reiterating the commission’s commitment to holding a credible election.

Sunday was the deadline for submitting nomination papers. The papers will be scrutinised on September 29, while appeals against returning officers’ decisions can be filed from September 30 to October 4 and disposed of by October 6.

Candidates can withdraw their nominations until October 7, with electoral symbols to be allocated on October 8. Voting will take place on October 29 from 8am to 4pm.