The Election Commission (EC) has cleared a budget of Tk 7 billion for the next general election.
The approval came during the meeting of commissioners on Monday, EC Secretary Helaluddin Ahmed told the media.
“We have presented all the preparations taken for the national election. We have already procured some of the apparatus and the remaining will be done by October,” he said.
The commission has forwarded a proposal to the government for amending the Representation of the People’s Order (RPO) and will consider introducing EVMs if its cleared, said the EC official.
The commissioners held two rounds of meetings on Monday, which was boycotted by Election Commissioner Mahbub Talukder after registering a complaint that he was not allowed to exercise his freedom of speech.
Talukdar left the meeting 10 minutes after it began on Monday. Chief Election Commissioner KM Nurul Huda presided over the meeting attended by the three other commissioners— Md Rafiqul Islam, Kabita Khanam and Shahadat Hossain Chowdhury.
In a note of dissent, he wrote, “The Election Commission can in no way undermine my rights. Freedom of speech and freedom of expression are my constitutional and fundamental rights.”
"In such a situation, I am giving a note of dissent against the decision of the Election Commission, and I am boycotting the commission meeting in protest."
He was shocked and surprised at not receiving an opportunity to present his speech at the meeting, said the note.
On Aug 30, Talukdar walked out of the commission meeting opposing the EC’s decision on amending Representation of People Order or RPO to incorporate the use of electronic voter machine or EVMs for the national election.