EC Ends E-Nomination: Presiding Officers Empowered, Fugitives Disqualified
Election Commissioner Brigadier General (Retd.) Abul Fazl Md. Sanaullah has announced that the provision for submitting nomination papers online has been scrapped from the Representation of the People Order (RPO). He also stated that any fugitive accused in a criminal case would be considered “ineligible” to contest in elections, while all authority at polling centers will rest with the presiding officer.
Speaking to journalists at the Election Commission headquarters on Wednesday, September 3, Commissioner Sanaullah elaborated on the key revisions.
He said, “Earlier, the presiding officer’s decision was final. Later it was amended to allow law enforcement to assess the situation and give a report before voting could begin. We have now reverted to the previous provision. This makes the presiding officer the supreme authority at the polling center.”
The commissioner added, “We have given the presiding officer the authority to decide how long media personnel or others may stay inside the polling booths.”
On election expenditure, he noted, “A candidate may spend a maximum of Tk 10 per voter, or up to Tk 25 lakh, whichever amount is higher.”
Addressing the issue of candidacy, he clarified, “Any fugitive accused in a criminal case will not be allowed to contest in elections. If this rule is misused, it will be reconsidered. But nomination papers cannot be submitted online.”
He further explained, “It has been made mandatory for a candidate or their proposer/supporter to submit the nomination papers in person to the returning officer or assistant returning officer.”
The commissioner also confirmed that in a constituency with only one candidate, a ‘No’ vote option will be available on the ballot. He added that in coalition elections, candidates must contest under their respective party symbols. All provisions regarding Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) have been scrapped. Media representatives will be allowed during vote counting. Election posters have been abolished, while violations of the code of conduct through social media will not be tolerated. Moreover, the registration of any banned political party will remain suspended, and reserved election symbols will stay preserved. Certain textual inconsistencies, such as the interchangeable use of “vote” and “election,” have also been corrected.
