Tarique Rahman not a voter yet, but may vote and contest upon application: EC secretary

Election Commission (EC) Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed has said BNP’s acting chairman Tarique Rahman is not currently a registered voter, adding that he may be allowed to vote and contest in the upcoming national elections if he applies and the commission approves.

Speaking to reporters at the EC headquarters in Agargaon on Monday (December 1), the secretary said, “As far as I know, he (Tarique Rahman) is not a voter yet.”

In response to a question on whether Tarique Rahman can run in the election, he added, “He can, if the commission decides.”

Regarding the legal basis for such a decision, Akhtar Ahmed said the relevant provisions exist in the law, though he could not recall the exact section. “You will find it in the Voter List Registration Act,” he told journalists.