Sunday, 5th April 2026
Khabor Wala Desk
Published: 18th August 2025, 12:27 PM
The Senior Secretary of the Election Commission (EC), Akhtar Ahmed, has confirmed that several significant steps have already been taken ahead of the forthcoming national elections. A comprehensive action plan has been drafted and submitted to the commission for approval. According to him, the plan will be officially published within the current week.
He shared these updates on Monday (18 August) during a media briefing held at the Election Commission headquarters in Agargaon, Dhaka.
Highlights from the Secretary’s Briefing
| Subject | Key Information | Timeline / Figures |
| Action Plan | Draft prepared and submitted for approval | To be published this week |
| Boundary Demarcation | 82 objections lodged regarding electoral boundaries; hearings scheduled | 24–27 August (4 consecutive days) |
| NID Corrections | Appeals for initially rejected applications reopened; review mechanism in place | ~80,000 appeals nationwide |
| Voter Registration (Form-2 Scanning) | Old forms from 2008 still pending; scanning and uploading underway | Ongoing process |
| Polling Centres & Booths | No new centres; voter presence to be redistributed | Ratio may shift from 1 booth per 500 voters → 1 per 600 |
| Political Party Registration | Field verification ongoing for 22 parties; rejected applicants to receive detailed reasons | Letters being issued |
| Law & Order | No current concerns; field administration and law enforcement actively engaged | Preventive measures being taken |
Addressing the issue of constituency demarcation and voter list updates, Akhtar Ahmed stated that hearings on the 82 objections raised will take place between 24 and 27 August, running continuously over four days. A final decision on the matter will follow promptly.
Regarding corrections to National ID applications, the Secretary noted that a review process has been introduced for cases that were initially rejected. Currently, there are nearly 80,000 appeals of this nature across the country. He emphasised that with more precise data entry, the number of objections is expected to decline.
On the issue of Form-2 scanning, Ahmed explained that many of the voter registration forms collected since 2008 remain unscanned. The Commission has now started digitising and uploading these forms to the central portal, which will enrich and expand the national electoral database.
In relation to polling centres, the Secretary clarified that the number of centres will not be increased. Instead, voter allocation will be balanced within the existing centres. Currently, one booth is designated for every 500 voters, but this may be adjusted to 600 voters per booth in the future.
Speaking about political party registration, Ahmed said that field-level verification of applications from 22 parties is still ongoing. Those parties whose applications were rejected or deemed unfit are being formally notified in writing, with specific reasons provided, including details on which requirements they failed to meet.
On the question of security during the election period, the Secretary assured that there is no immediate concern. He noted that field administration is active in their respective jurisdictions, and law enforcement agencies are carrying out their responsibilities effectively. The Commission has instructed all stakeholders to take advance preparations to avoid last-minute confusion or disruptions.
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