EC settles over 6.44 million NID correction applications

The Election Commission (EC) has made significant progress in correcting National Identity Card (NID) information, settling 6,442,832 applications out of a total 6,570,842 received so far.

However, 128,010 applications remain pending, while 1,355,157 have been rejected for various reasons, according to updated data from the EC's National Identity Registration Wing as of October 18.

Despite the substantial progress, the commission is now focusing on speeding up the disposal of pending applications, screening out unjustified requests and preventing fraud.

The EC has taken initiatives to accelerate the process by setting deadlines for application disposal, expanding the authority of officials at the upazila and district levels, and strengthening regular monitoring by senior officials.

EC officials said applications submitted up to 2024 have been settled, while the disposal of applications received in 2025 is nearing completion. However, around 80,000 to 90,000 new applications are submitted every month, leaving some applications pending.

The backlog also includes applications that do not qualify for correction and repeated applications submitted under different categories for the same purpose.

According to EC data, 68,269 applications under category 'Gha' for 2026 are awaiting disposal. Another 983 applications from 2025 remain pending under the same category, bringing the total to 69,252.

Region-wise, 10,615 applications are pending in Dhaka, 5,140 in Faridpur, 5,871 in Khulna, 8,332 in Mymensingh and 4,477 in Rangpur.

The number of pending applications stands at 6,469 in Sylhet, 6,875 in Rajshahi, 4,226 in Barishal, 6,688 in Chattogram and 10,559 in Cumilla.

The figures show considerable regional variation, with Dhaka and Cumilla recording comparatively higher numbers of pending applications. Region-specific monitoring and more effective management are, therefore, important to ensure their timely disposal.

To speed up NID correction services, the EC has introduced specific deadlines for processing applications and expanded the scope for disposal at the upazila and district levels.

Senior management officials and the relevant directors are also regularly monitoring the progress.

EC Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed told BSS that accuracy remains the primary objective of the application disposal process.

He said voter registration must be completed correctly so that the need for subsequent corrections can be minimised.

He said applications that lack reasonable grounds are now being rejected after scrutiny, with greater emphasis on disposing of each application within the stipulated timeframe.

A large number of applications were also settled through a special initiative last year, he added.

The EC secretary said many applications no longer require correction, while inconsistencies have also been found in some applications submitted by voters living abroad through local representatives. Such cases are being examined before decisions are made, he said.

The EC has also strengthened monitoring of date-of-birth corrections in NID records, placing greater emphasis on educational certificates that can be verified online.