MUNICIPAL POLLS : EC seeks 1,204 executive magistrates

The Election Commission on Thursday sought 1,204 executive magistrates to operate mobile courts for preventing violation of electoral code conduct in elections to 234 municipal councils slated for December 30.
Commission’s deputy secretary M Mohsinul Haque sent two letters to the ministries of law and public administration on Thursday in this regard.
The commission would engage one executive magistrate for each municipality having less than 18 wards and two for each municipality having 18 or more wards to operate the mobile courts for four days from December 28, said the letters.
The commission asked law secretary to take necessary action in this regard in consultation with the Supreme Court.
The commission officials already outlined a plan for the deployment of law enforcement agencies for maintaining law and order during the polling, commission officials said.
They said that the officials proposed to deploy the forces of Border Guard Bangladesh, police, Armed Police Battalion, Ansar and VDP, and cost guard in December 28-31.
The commission on Friday rejected a letter signed by ruling Awami League president Sheikh Hasin on December 8 asking the returning officer in Shariatpur to change the party nomination as its original mayoral candidate’s nomination paper was cancelled in the scrutiny for defaulting loan.
On December 8, Shariatpur district AL general secretary Anal Kumer Day submitted Hasina’s letter to the returning officer saying that the party changed its nomination and nominated Faruk Ahmed Talukder as its mayoral candidate as its original candidate Rafiqul Islam Kotowal’s
nomination paper was cancelled in the scrutiny on December 5.
Commission’s assistant secretary Rajib Ahasan sent a letter to the returning officer in Shariatpur not to accept Hasina’s letter and to treat Faruk as an independent candidate.
Commission secretary M Sirajul Islam said that the commission had no way to accept the fresh nomination as Faruk’s nomination paper was accepted as an independent candidate.
The returning officer in Rajshahi, Sabina Yeasmin, on Friday served show-cause notices to 11 candidates – AL rebel mayoral candidate SM Kamaruzzaman Chunnu, councillor candidates Munshi Mohiuddin, Tapan Kumar Ghosh, Hafizur Rahman, Alamgir Kabir and Yousuf Ali and reserved councillor for women candidates Rakya Bagume Ruki, Archana Adhikari and Syeda Samaratuddwla – on allegation of violation of rules.

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