EC issues guidelines for voting by prisoners

The Election Commission has issued guidelines allowing voters held in prisons or under legal custody to cast their votes in the 13th national parliamentary election and referendum.

The directive, signed by Election Commission deputy secretary Mohammad Monir Hossain, was sent to the inspector general of prisons on Wednesday.

According to the guidelines, voters detained in prisons or under legal custody will be able to exercise their voting rights through the in-country postal voting, ICPV, system, in line with election regulations.

The directive states that the registration of detained voters will be approved through the relevant authorities using a special digital platform. Prison or custodial authorities will nominate two representatives each to carry out the registration process.

After registration, the authorities will send a printed list, sealed and signed, to the Election Commission. At the same time, the nominated representatives will upload the required voter information in xls or csv format to the designated portal. Registered voters will receive postal ballot envelopes through the relevant authorities.

Each envelope provided by the Election Commission will contain two separate ballot papers for the parliamentary election and the referendum, voting instructions, a declaration form, and a return envelope addressed to the returning officer.

The guidelines state that prison or custodial authorities must prepare voting booths or secret voting spaces to ensure a proper voting environment. Postal ballot papers will not contain candidates’ names, only assigned symbols with blank spaces beside them. Authorities will therefore provide voters with the final list of candidates and their symbols for the respective constituencies.

For the parliamentary election ballot, voters will mark a tick or cross in the blank space next to their chosen symbol. For the referendum ballot, voters will mark a tick or cross beside yes or no. Before voting, voters must write their name and national identity number on the declaration form and sign it. If a voter is unable to sign, another voter will attest on their behalf.

After voting, voters will place both ballot papers in a small envelope and seal it. The sealed envelope and the signed declaration form must then be placed inside the yellow return envelope addressed to the returning officer and deposited at a designated place or box set up by the prison or custodial authority.

Once the voting process is completed, the authorities will securely store all postal ballot envelopes and send them as soon as possible to the nearest postal office. The postal department will ensure prompt delivery of the envelopes to the respective returning officers. No postal charges will be required, as the cost will be borne by the government.