Number of voters rises by 18 lakh to 12.36cr, final list on 2 March: EC

• New voters include 11.86 males, 6.48 females, 62 hijra
• Final list to be published on 2 March
• Door-to-door data collection begins 20 January
• EC handling backlog of 3.78 lakh NID appeals

The Election Commission has published the 2025 draft of the updated voter list, revealing a 1.5% increase in the total number of voters compared to the previous year.

The draft records 12,36,83,512 voters, up by 18,33,352 voters from 12,18,50,160 last year.

Election Commissioner Brigadier General (retd) Abul Fazal Md Sanaullah announced the numbers at a press briefing at the Nirbachan Bhaban in Agargaon today (2 January).

He said the final voter list will be published on 2 March, following the resolution of complaints submitted by 17 January.

Among the newly registered voters, 11,85,516 are males, 6,47,774 are females, and 62 hijra. This brings the total to 6,33,30,103 male voters, 6,03,52,515 female voters, and 994 hijra voters.

Updated list on 2 March

The EC noted that male voters increased by nearly double the number of female voters this year. Male voters now exceed females by 5.38 lakh, compared to a gap of 2.44 lakh in the previous year.

The EC is required to publish a draft voter list annually on 2 January under the Voter List Act, 2009, allowing for claims, objections, and corrections before finalising the list on 2 March, designated as National Voters' Day.

To ensure accuracy, the commission will conduct a door-to-door data collection campaign from 20 January, aiming to include those left out and newly eligible voters. Those eligible to vote on 1 January 2025 were included in this update.

The commission, led by Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin, also plans further registration efforts to ensure no eligible voters are left out after the finalisation of the list.

'Entire list to be scrutinised'

Election Commissioner Sanaullah announced that the entire voter list will be scrutinised to ensure the integrity of the 13th Jatiya Sangsad polls, expected to be held by June 2026.

However, information on the previously verified 12 crore voters will not be published on the EC website, only details of the newly added 18 lakh voters will be published.

"The entire voter list will be examined, but the complete data will stay with us. The list of 18 lakh new voters will be made public, and the updated list will be accessible upon request," he said.

Regarding the eligibility of those turning 18 this year, he noted that Section 3(j) of the Electoral Rolls Act sets 1 January as the cut-off date. Any change would require amending the law, which the commission is currently considering.

Commenting on preparations for the election, Sanaullah stated, "Our chief adviser expects the election between December 2025 and June 2026. We are ready, and updating the voter list is part of this readiness."

He dismissed concerns about legal complications in including the updated list, assuring that a complete list will be published before the election schedule is announced.

When asked about reducing the minimum voter age to 17, he said, "The chief adviser's view on this is his personal opinion. If a political consensus leads to constitutional amendments, we will act accordingly."

Addressing inaccuracies in voter lists, he cited three primary issues: failure to remove deceased voters, duplicate entries, and the fraudulent inclusion of foreign nationals.

"We have taken special measures in areas like Chattogram to prevent Rohingyas from being listed, declaring these zones as special areas with separate registration processes," he explained.

He acknowledged field-level challenges, including age manipulation during door-to-door verification. "We are working to sensitise the process and prevent such irregularities this time."

Regarding complaints about pending NID services, he said, "Approximately 3.78 lakh applications were backlogged. We have launched a crash programme to ensure citizens receive their services promptly." 

The door-to-door voter update campaign, starting 20 January, is expected to conclude by 30 June, contingent on efficient execution, Sanaullah said.