The Election Commission is set to meet on Sunday to finalise the schedule for the 13th parliamentary election and the referendum on the July Charter, both expected to be held on the same day in February next year.
The meeting, chaired by Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin, will begin at 10:30am at the EC headquarters, with four election commissioners and the EC secretary joining the session.
Officials said the meeting is expected to approve an extension of polling hours by one hour and finalise the deadlines for the submission, scrutiny and withdrawal of nomination papers, along with determining the polling date.
The commission will also settle the timetable for transporting postal ballot papers and review overall progress in election preparations.
“The timing of the schedule will be decided at the meeting, and it will be finalised after a courtesy call on the president,” Election Commissioner Md Anwarul Islam Sarkar told the media.
Officials said the commission will meet the president on 10 December, following which the schedule is likely to be announced on 11 December.
According to EC sources, Sunday’s meeting will address 10 additional issues alongside the election schedule. These include pre- and post-schedule activities, the latest preparations for the upcoming national election and the referendum, as well as field-level coordination and communication. The agenda also covers political party registration and a review of the national ID correction process.
Traditionally, EC declares the schedule only after consulting the president. The previous Kazi Habibul Awal Commission met the president on 9 November 2023, announcing the schedule for the 12th parliamentary elections on 15 November.
Alongside the president, the current commission is also considering a meeting with Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus ahead of the announcement.
For the 12th parliamentary elections, the schedule was declared on 15 November 2023, with voting held on 7 January—a gap of 53 days. Candidates then had 14 days to submit nomination papers, four days for scrutiny, and 13 days for withdrawal, including time for appeals and disposal. After receiving electoral symbols, candidates were allotted 19 days for campaigning, with voting conducted from 8am to 4pm.
