EC fully prepared for upazila polls: CEC

The Election Commission is fully prepared for Upazila Parishad elections, CEC ATM Shamsul Huda said Wednesday. The chief election commissioner pledged a smooth national election, which he said would come after Upazila Parishad elections. Schedules for elections to four city corporations and nine municipalities will be announced Friday. The CEC inaugurated a workshop in Sylhet Wednesday on election rules, laid out in light of the City Corporation Ordinance 2008. Speaking as the chief guest at the function, Huda said: "We will announce the schedules on June 20 for holding elections to four city corporations and nine municipalities." Schedules for other municipalities and Dhaka City Corporation will be announced later in phases, he said. The CEC said: "We want to hold Upazila Parishad elections before the Jatiya Sangsad election." On the election code of conduct, Huda said: "This time the electoral code of conduct has to be followed strictly." "The Election Commission will remain strict in enforcing the laws." Election showdowns, multi-colour posters, illumination, setting up hundreds of camps and erecting arches are banned. "Candidacies will be cancelled if the violation of these rules is detected," Huda said. The CEC claims that there is no false voter on the current list and said one crore false voters have been taken off the roll. On errors in national ID cards, Huda said all mistakes in the ID card would be corrected after the end of the national election. "Work will continue for one year." Sylhet divisional commissioner Zafar Ahmed Khan presided over the workshop at Sylhet Zila Parishad auditorium. Election commissioners Muhammad Sohul Hussain and M Sakhawat Hussain were special guests.