Ballot paper printing place can't affect polls: DU VC

The location of printing ballot papers or the number of these cannot influence the elections to the Dhaka University Central Students' Union (DUCSU), the university vice-chancellor, Prof Niaz Ahmed Khan, said amid allegations of irregularities in the polls.

Prof Niaz made the remarks at a press conference at Prof Abdul Matin Chowdhury Virtual Classroom of the university on Sunday morning, September 28.

Various student organisations, including Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal, and DU pro-BNP teachers' organisation White Panel raised the allegations of irregularities in the DUCSU elections through printing ballot papers at Nilkhet market in the capital.

Mentioning that an experienced firm was given the responsibility to print the ballot papers through a competitive tender as per the rules, VC Niaz said they, later, permitted to involve another associate company in the acts under the same tender after discussion with the main vendor to print the specific number of ballot papers within the stipulated period due to the large number of voters and candidates.

However, the associate vendor did not inform the Dhaka University authorities about printing ballot papers at Nilkhet, he stated.

The VC also said ballot papers are only suitable for vote after the completion of cutting these in specific sizes, security code placement, pre-scanning at OMR machine, sign and seal of the chief returning officer and the returning officers concerned on these, and the voting has been held by ensuring these and maintaining the highest cautionsness.

Eeitering that it is not possible to complete the printing of ballot paper by scanning in OMR machine at any shop at Nilkhet, Prof Niaz said after the initial works at Nilkhet, the authorised company made the ballot papers suitable after scanning at their own office.

He said they received a total of 48 complaints and resolved all of them.

If any candidate wants to the CCTV footage or voters' sign, he/she will have to submit application following the specific processes, he added.

FAR/MSU