EC to encourage online submission of nomination papers in nat’l election

The Election Commission will encourage candidates to submit their nomination papers online for the upcoming 12th national parliamentary elections, Election Commission Secretary Jahangir Alam has said.

"There is a provision in the law for submission of nomination papers online. In the rules, some changes have been brought to the online nomination form," he told reporters following a meeting of the commission at the Nirbachan Bhaban yesterday.

"However, online submission of nomination will not be mandatory, but will be encouraged," said Jahangir. 

At the meeting chaired by Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Habibul Awal, the commission approved a draft law on the remuneration and privileges of the chief election commissioner and election commissioners.

Responding to a question from journalists, Jahangir said the existing facilities of the chief election commissioner and election commissioners remain unchanged. 

"The CEC shall have the same privileges as a judge of the Appellate Division, and the commissioners will get the same privileges as the judges of the High Court division"

The Chief Election Commissioner and Election Commissioners (Remuneration and Privileges) Ordinance-1983 will now be translated into Bangla, according to the commission secretary.

He said that no change had been brought to the draft law. It will only be translated in Bangla and the years will be changed to 2023. After that, it will be sent to the law ministry for vetting.

In addition, the issue of online submission of nomination papers [in elections] has been included in the amendment of the rules, he said, adding that refreshment allowance for the field-level poll officers had also been approved at the meeting.

Jahangir added that more than nine lakh polling officers will be appointed in the upcoming 12th national parliament elections.

Also, the training schedule for the polling officers to be appointed in the 12th national elections and other elections has been approved. They will be trained following the announcement of poll schedules, he added.
 
Smart NID for expatriates living in UK, Saudi Arabia on priority basis

The Election Commission wants to give smart national identity (NID) cards to Bangladeshi expatriate voters living in the United Kingdom and Saudi Arabia on a priority basis, EC Secretary Jahangir said.

"The progress of the pilot project of NID for Bangladeshi expatriate citizens, which is going on in the United Arab Emirates, was discussed. Later, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs requested to bring two more countries - the United Kingdom and Saudi Arabia under it. They discussed the progress of the work"

The EC secretary hoped to provide NID services to Bangladeshi expatriates in the UK and Saudi Arabia before the next national polls.

"We started it. It is not possible to say when they will get it. But hopefully, we can do it before the national parliamentary elections"

The EC started issuing NID services to expatriate Bangladeshis digitally during the coronavirus pandemic. 

Initially, the project was rolled out in 6 countries. However, after three years in July 2023, the current commission issued smart cards to expatriates living in the UAE.