The Election Commission has conceded that it may not be possible to hold upazila elections from Oct 23, as the commission has still to hold talks with BNP and the polling regulations have yet to given the all-clear by the law ministry.
"The commission does not have sufficient time in hand if the schedule is to be announced at least 45 days before the election date," election commissioner Muhammad Sohul Hussain told Saturday.
The commission has between 40-44 days remaining from Sunday to finalise all arrangements for upazila polls according to its previously declared dates of Oct 23 and Oct 27.
The schedule was given 45 days ahead for the last upazila polls held in the country in 1990.
"Sufficient time must be given for submission and scrutiny of nomination papers and for campaigning," Sohul Hussain said.
"It may be a risk if any less time is given," he said.
"We are yet to hold dialogue with BNP," the commissioner pointed out.
"And we are still awaiting the law ministry's final vetting of the upazila poll regulations, drafted in line with the upazila ordinance (formulated on June 30)."
"We will inform our decision in a few days," he said.
For the Aug 4 city corporation and municipality polls, the EC announced the schedule on June 20, keeping 44 days in hand.
The chief election commissioner first informed BBC radio and bdnews24.com on July 21 of a tentative Oct 23 UP poll date.
The Election Commission later on Aug 25 formally decided two dates, Oct 23 and Oct 27, for holding polls to around 250 upazila parishad.
However, the scenario changed after the third round electoral dialogue with the political parties.
In the third round of dialogue between the EC and political parties, held between Sept 6 and Sept 9, many political parties including the Awami League remained steadfast in their opposition to holding upazila polls ahead of national elections.
Another major party BNP, who had boycotted its scheduled dialogue sesssion, is now set to sit with the EC following the release of party chief Khaleda Zia.
A deputy secretary of the EC Secretariat, on condition of anonymity told: "The Election Commission wants to hold upazila polls under the caretaker government."
"If it is not possible to hold them before national elections, however, the commission will hold them in January or February."
Election commissioner M Sakhawat Hussain told bdnews24.com Saturday: "We will take a final decision after holding talks with BNP. We are still trying to proceed in line with the electoral roadmap."
Subject: Upazila polls may be delayed: EC............... 
Sat Sep 13, 2008 2:21 pm
