Pabna: The Election Commission on Thursday announced a fresh election schedule for Pabna-1 and Pabna-2 constituencies to hold polls on February 12 next in line with the order of the Appellate Division. The election schedule was declared cancelling the previous schedule announced on December 11 last as per the court order passed on Thursday, said a notification issued by the EC.
According to United News of Bangladesh, the new schedule outlines that the deadline for the submission of nomination papers is January 18, followed by the scrutiny of the papers on January 19. The last date for the withdrawal of candidature is January 26. Individuals can submit appeals with the Election Commission from January 20 to 24, challenging the decisions of the returning officer regarding the acceptance or cancellation of nomination papers. The EC will hear and resolve the appeal petitions, if any, on January 25, with symbols being allocated on January 27.
Voting in Pabna-1 and Pabna-2 will coincide with the elections in the country’s other 298 constituencies, as well as a national referendum. The Election Commission had previously suspended the election in Pabna-1 and Pabna-2 following directives from the court. An EC circular issued on January 6 and made public on January 10 suspended the election to these constituencies in compliance with an order from the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court on January 5, which arose due to a dispute over the demarcation of the national parliamentary constituencies No 68 (Pabna-1) and No 69 (Pabna-2).
On January 15, an Appellate Division bench led by Chief Justice Zubayer Rahman Chowdhury cleared the way for the elections in Pabna-1 and Pabna-2 to proceed on February 12. The elections will follow the boundaries specified in the Election Commission’s September 4 gazette. As per the court’s order, Sathia upazila will form Pabna-1 constituency, while Sujanagar and Bera upazilas will constitute Pabna-2.