EC collecting info on magistrates deployed in last 3 polls

The Election Commission (EC) has started collecting information on magistrates who were on duty during the last three controversial national elections. The move follows a request from the Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI), made in connection with a case.

In response, the EC Secretariat has begun gathering details of magistrates who served during the 2014, 2018, and 2024 general elections.

Each parliamentary election involves the deployment of over 1,500 executive magistrates across the 300 constituencies to enforce the electoral code of conduct and maintain law and order on election day. Judicial magistrates are also appointed as needed.

Following EC directives, a letter signed by Deputy Secretary Monir Hossain was sent on Wednesday to all Deputy Commissioners and the Divisional Commissioners of Dhaka and Chattogram.

The letter requested the names, addresses, national ID numbers, passport numbers, mobile numbers, and other details of magistrates who served in the 10th, 11th, and 12th parliamentary elections.

On July 24, the PBI formally requested this information. Earlier, on July 3, the agency had also sought detailed data from the EC regarding returning officers, presiding officers, assistant presiding officers, and polling officers involved in the past three national elections.

EC Secretary Akhtar Ahmed said arrangements were being made to provide the requested information to the PBI.

The BNP filed a case on June 22, accusing the EC of failing to fulfill its constitutional duties in the 10th to 12th parliamentary elections, instead allegedly intimidating voters and conducting elections without public participation.