Announced UP election schedule is “entirely preliminary”: EC Secretary
Akhter Ahmed, senior secretary of the Election Commission SecretariatFile photo: BSSThe proposed timeline for the Union Parishad (UP) elections to be held in seven phases is “entirely preliminary”, said Akhter Ahmed, senior secretary of the Election Commission Secretariat. He said the schedule would be finalised after discussions with stakeholders on 17 September.
Akhter Ahmed told journalists about this at the Election Building on Tuesday.
The Election Commission had announced a proposed seven-phase election schedule on Monday.
Local Government Minister Mir Shahe Alam told journalists on Tuesday morning that they had seen reports in newspapers, social media and television that the Election Commission had announced dates for several phases of the Union Parishad elections.
He said the government knew nothing about the matter and that the EC had neither communicated with the government in writing nor discussed the issue with it.
A short while after the Local Government Minister made the statement, EC Secretary Akhter Ahmed clarified the Election Commission’s position.
Responding to questions from journalists, he said the matter had already been explained in detail the previous day. He said he was clarifying the issue because of journalists’ interest.
The EC secretary said local government elections would definitely take place. However, he said the Commission had held preliminary discussions for two days on when and how the elections would be held and at what level.
As part of that process, it prepared a tentative schedule on Monday. The proposal envisages holding the elections in five phases, with two additional phases kept in reserve.
“However, this is an entirely preliminary schedule. The schedule for the local elections will be finalised after the meeting with the relevant ministry and stakeholders on 17 September.”
The EC secretary declined to make any counter-comment on Local Government Minister Mir Shahe Alam’s remarks regarding the local government elections. Responding to journalists’ questions, he said, “Whatever he has said is worthy of respect. However, I will not have the audacity to make any counter-comment on the matter. No comments from my side.”
Asked whether the ministry’s approval would be required, the EC secretary said the Commission would provide details after receiving the necessary input at the 17 September meeting.
Asked whether the Commission had held discussions with the government, the EC secretary said discussions were an ongoing process.
He declined to make any further comment at this stage about with whom, when or how such discussions had taken place.
