The Election Commission changed rules about setting up voting locations for national elections. Officials removed requirements for committees led by deputy commissioners and upazila officers. The commission published new guidelines called "Polling Centre Establishment and Management Guidelines-2025" as an official document. Election Commission staff will handle all voting center setup duties directly. The previous system faced strong public criticism.
Former Election Commission leader Kazi Habibul Awal created the old committee system. His rules required administrative and police officials to help choose voting locations. The old guidelines made five-person committees at upazila levels and seven-person committees at district levels. These committees would inspect potential sites and send reports to election officers. Police station chiefs and education officers served as committee members.
The new rules give Election Commission field workers full control over voting center decisions. Officials will establish one voting location for every 3,000 registered voters. Each voting room should serve 500 male voters and 400 female voters maximum. Workers must consult local leaders and political parties when creating new centers. Distance between voting locations cannot exceed three kilometers.
Election officials must consider how easily voters can reach polling centers. They should keep existing voting locations unchanged when possible. New centers become necessary when voter numbers increase or natural disasters damage current sites. Geography and accessibility determine final voting center locations. Officials aim to prevent voters from traveling past closer centers to reach distant ones.
Former Election Commission leader Kazi Habibul Awal created the old committee system. His rules required administrative and police officials to help choose voting locations. The old guidelines made five-person committees at upazila levels and seven-person committees at district levels. These committees would inspect potential sites and send reports to election officers. Police station chiefs and education officers served as committee members.
The new rules give Election Commission field workers full control over voting center decisions. Officials will establish one voting location for every 3,000 registered voters. Each voting room should serve 500 male voters and 400 female voters maximum. Workers must consult local leaders and political parties when creating new centers. Distance between voting locations cannot exceed three kilometers.
Election officials must consider how easily voters can reach polling centers. They should keep existing voting locations unchanged when possible. New centers become necessary when voter numbers increase or natural disasters damage current sites. Geography and accessibility determine final voting center locations. Officials aim to prevent voters from traveling past closer centers to reach distant ones.
