Dhaka, Ctg city corporation polls likely on same day: EC

The Election Commission is likely to hold polls to both the Dhaka and Chittagong city corporations on the same day, believed to be at April's end or the first week of May, which is expected to be announced by this week.

If held on separate days, "one city's poll result may affect another's...However, the decision is yet to be finalised," a top EC official, seeking anonymity, told The Daily Star yesterday.

Meanwhile, Election Commissioner Shah Nawaz told journalists at his EC Secretariat office in the capital that preparations were almost complete.

"Some minor tasks remained unfinished. After solving these minor tasks, we will hold commission meeting for finalising poll schedule," he said.

On campaigns of aspiring candidates, he said EC had no jurisdiction on saying anything before the schedule's announcement.

"However, we have a plan to check election expenditure of these campaigners," he said, adding that punitive measures would be taken if it exceeds the legally-set limit.

The last election to an undivided Dhaka city corporation (DCC) was held on April 2002, and its tenure expired in May 2007. The last Chittagong City Corporation election was held in 2010.

The DCC election was held back for reasons, including the then state of emergency and complexities regarding boundary demarcation.

The LGRD ministry last month removed the complexities and requested the EC to take necessary steps for holding the DCC polls.