EC ready to hold RpCC polls on Thursday

The Election Commission has nearly wrapped up its preparations to stage the Rangpur City Corporation (RpCC) polls on Thursday in a fair and transparent manner, election officials said.

Meanwhile, the competing candidates for the posts of mayor, general councilors and reserved female councilors are passing restless moments in  their last-minute door-to-door visit to attract the voters as electioneering ends from midnight Wednesday.

Talking to BSS, Returning Officer (RO) for RpCC Elections-2017 Subhash  Chandra Sarkar, Deputy Commissioner Muhammad Wahiduzzaman and Police Super  Mizanur Rahman expressed satisfaction over the preparations taken for holding  the RpCC polls.

Divisional Commissioner Kazi Hasan Ahmed said four-tier security measures  have been taken for holding the RpCC polls in a free, fair and transparent  manner. The entire city area has been covered with a security blanket to  facilitate peaceful election.

RO Subhash Chandra Sarkar said necessary steps, including adoption of  adequate security measures, have been completed for holding the RpCC polls at  all 193 polling centres in a free and transparent manner.

Assistant Returning Officer for RpCC-2017 elections Kamrul Islam said 283 candidates, including seven for the mayoral post, 211 for 33 general  councilor posts and 65 for 11 reserved women councilor posts are in the fray for RpCC polls this time.

The seven mayoral post candidates are: Awami League-nominated Sarfuddin  Ahmed Jhantu, Jatiya Party-nominated Mostafizur Rahman Mostafa, BNP-nominated  Kawser Zaman Babla, Selim Akhter of National Peoples Party, ATM Golam Mostafa  of Islami Shasontantra Andolan Bangladesh, Abdul Kuddus of Bangladesher  Samajtantrik Dal and former JP lawmaker Hossain Mokbul Shahriar  (Independent), he said.

"A total of 393,994 voters including 196,356 males and 197,638 females  will apply their voting rights at 1,122 polling booths of 193 polling centres  in the RpCC polls," Islam said.

Source: BSS