The Election Commission (EC) has urged that complaints regarding violations of the electoral code of conduct against any candidate be filed directly with the relevant returning officers or Election Enquiry Committees (EEC) for faster resolution.
EC Secretariat Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed made the statement while briefing reporters at Nirbachan Bhaban in the Agargaon area of the capital.
“Alongside this, a copy of the complaint should also be submitted to the EC,” he added.
Akhtar Ahmed explained: “If a complaint is submitted to the Election Commission, it usually takes one to three days to reach the relevant authorities through bureaucratic channels, during which time the importance of the complaint may diminish.”
He noted that if the same complaint is submitted directly to the EEC or the returning officers, it can be resolved more promptly. “There are 300 Electoral Inquiry Committees covering 300 constituencies,” he added.
Responding to a question about potential delays in receiving postal ballots from abroad, the EC senior secretary said there is no cause for concern. He explained that the maximum time required would be 13 to 14 days due to distance, and the commission has established strict deadlines for issuing, submitting, and receiving postal ballots.
He also said that although the counting of votes for the national elections and the referendum will be conducted separately, both processes will occur simultaneously. “Counting of postal ballots may take slightly longer,” he added.
Akhtar Ahmed called on all stakeholders to act responsibly in their respective roles so that the EC can conduct the upcoming elections fairly, impartially, and transparently.
