Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Habibul Awal said on Wednesday that the Election Commission would not take any rash decision regarding the report of irregularities in the polling of Gaibandha-5 constituency.
He told reporters: "We are reviewing the matter." Regarding fresh voting in Gaibandha, he said: "I will not say anything about this now." The EC suspended the election because of “widespread malpractices” on the election day on October 12.
It also extended the deadline for holding any fresh election to the Gaibandha-5 parliamentary seat by three months, or till January 20, 2023.
While there was no concrete decision over if a new election will be held, pending an investigation into malpractices on the election day, the Election Commission said that the deadline has been extended to follow the rule of 90 days in holding an election after a seat falls vacant. Following the death of Gaibandha-5 lawmaker and Deputy Speaker of the Parliament Fazle Rabbi Miah on July 22, 2022, it became a constitutional obligation to hold election for the parliamentary seat by October 20, 2022.
