Municipal polls were fair

Law Minister Anisul Huq yesterday told the parliament that last year's municipal elections were held in a free, fair and festive way.

In a scripted answer to a querry, the minister, also in-charge of the election commission secretariat for parliamentary affairs, said some 73.16 percent votes were cast on December 30, during the polls. Twenty political parties took part in these polls, held for the first time with party symbols, he added, executive and judicial magistrates were appointed to maintain law and order. Only 51 out of 3,554 polling centres under 234 municipalities were suspended, the minister said replying to lawmakers' queries.