The Election Commission (EC) is contemplating updating the voter list in January which will help the people eligible to become voters.
According to rule 33 of the voter list rules, there is a provision for updating the voter list from January 2 to 31 every year. “As per the provision, the EC is planning updating the voter list in January next,” Election Commissioner Sohul Hossain told BSS.
He said the earlier decision to update the voter list in January still remains in force and the EC is hopeful of starting the activities to this end within the stipulated time.
“Millions of people will be deprived of becoming voters if
the voter list updating activities are not started in time,” he
said adding the EC is giving importance to the matter as it is
involved in getting national identity cards.
Sohul said the EC will take the final decision to this end
by the first week of December considering the World Cup Cricket,
population census, SSC exams and local government body elections.
An official of concerned section of the EC said those who
will turn 18 between December 31 in 2009 and December 31 in 2010
will become voters in the updated voter list.
Deputy Director of the Project for Preparing Voter List with
Photographs and National Identity Cards Anis Mahmud said there is
a provision for updating voter list in January. “Though we did
not get any directives from the EC to this end, we are ready to
start the activities if EC issues any order,” he said.
As per the previous records, the EC official said, the
number of new voters who will turn 18 between December 31 in 2009
and December 31 in 2010 will exceed nearly 15 lakh.
DHAKA, Nov 22 (BSS)
