Amid the growing demand for rescheduling the Dhaka city elections as the voting falls on the day of the Sarswati Puja, now a lawmaker of ruling Awami League has been vocal over the issue.
“A petition has been filed with the High Court to change the polls date. It can be deferred through the appeal order. Even the prime minister can issue an executive order to delay the polls for two days,” lawmaker Pankaj Nath told the House on Thursday (Jan 14).
An MP from Barishal 4 constituency, Pankaj made the call taking part in the general discussion on a thanksgiving motion on President Abdul Hamid’s speech.
Pankaj said he believed that setting the voting day on the Sarswati Puja is a conspiracy. “The Hindus vote for ‘boat’ but they would be busy on that day that may bring another result,” he added.
“The secondary school certificate examinations be delayed for two days as timing for the timing Sarswati Puja starts on the morning of Jan 29 and ends at 11am on Jan 30,” Panjak argued.
Protests have erupted at different parts of the city demanding for a reschedule of the Dhaka city polls with students blocking the city streets.
On Wednesday (Jan 15), Election Commission (EC) Secretary Md Alamgir said rescheduling the polls was not an option.
Protesters “need to realise that the Sarswati Puja is on the 29th and the polls on the 30th while the SSC exams begin on Feb 1. There's no option for rescheduling," he told the media.
On that day, Dhaka University students blocked the Shahbag intersection pressing their demand after the High Court turned down the petition seeking the polls to be deferred citing the Hindu festival.
Elections to the Dhaka North and South city corporations are slated for Jan 30. The commission has said that the entire balloting will be held through electronic voting machines (EVMs).
According to the EC, the two city corporations have over 5.4 million voters — 3.35 million in North city and 2.37 million in South city.
As many as 335 candidates and 251 candidates are vying for councillors in respectively DSCC and DNCC.
For women’s reserved wards, there are 82 contestants for DSCC polls and 77 for DSCC polls.
Along with electing the mayors, voters in North will also elect 54 ward councillors and 18 reserved women councillors while in South 75 ward councillors and 25 reserved women councillors.