RpCC election to be free and fair: EC Rafikul Islam
Election Commissioner (EC) Md Rafikul Islam today said all necessary steps would be taken for holding the Rangpur City Corporation (RpCC) Elections-2017 in a free, fair, impartial and transparent manner.
"The Election Commission is working as a constitutional institution and it will take all necessary steps to ensure free and fair RpCC elections," Islam said while briefing local journalists at conference room of the Regional Election Office in the city, according to a news agency.
"The Election Commission may use digital voting machine (DVM) at only one polling centre during RpCC elections scheduled to be held on December 21 next on experimental basis," Rafikul Islam said.
Returning Officer for RpCC Elections-2017 and Rangpur Regional Election Officer Subhash Chandra Sarkar, Senior District Election Officer GM Shahatab Uddin attended the press briefing.
Earlier, the Election Commissioner attended inaugural ceremony of a two-day programme arranged by Regional Election Office and passed necessary directions to the elections officers regarding the RpCC elections.
In the meantime, 13 candidates submitted their nomination papers by the last date on Wednesday to vie for the mayoral post in the upcoming RpCC Elections-2017.
Returning Officer for RpCC Elections-2017 Subhash Chandra Sarkar said a total of 306 candidates including 13 for the mayoral post, 226 for 33 general councilor posts and 67 for 11 reserved women councilor posts submitted nomination papers.
"The nomination papers will be scrutinised between November 25 and 26 and the last date of withdrawal of nomination is December 3 next," Assistant Returning Officer for RpCC Elections- 2017 Kamrul Islam said.
The election symbols would be allocated among the candidates on November 30 and RpCC elections will be held on December 21 next, Kamrul said.
"A total of 393,994 voters including 196,356 males and 197,638 females will exercise their voting rights at 1,122 polling booths of 193 polling centres in 33 general wards and 11 reserved wards to elect 45 public representatives including a mayor," he added.
