EC asks returning officers not to join govt briefing

Staff Correspondent: The Election Commission (EC) asked the Deputy Commissioners (DCs) and Divisional Commissioners not to take part in a government briefing as returning officer in the forthcoming 11^th national elections slated for December 30.

A letter, signed by EC’s Deputy Secretary Abdul Halim Khan, confirmed the matter.

The secretary of the cabinet division will have to materialize the directive, according to the letter issued on Tuesday.

The returning officers will have to remain in the polling stations until a gazette notification on the polls result is published, the letter added.

The letter also mentioned that the returning officers will not be able to participate in any briefing highlighting the development activities of the government and relating to election.

The directives came after BNP and Jatiya Oikyafront complained to the EC that the deputy commissioners were briefed in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).


risingbd/Dhaka/Nov 27, 2018/Hasibul/AI