Ballot paper printing to be ended by Dec 31: EC

Additional Secretary of Election Commission (EC) Secretariat Ashok Kumar Debnath today said that the work of printing the ballot papers for the upcoming 12th parliamentary elections will be completed by December 31.

“The work of ballot paper printing is underway. Besides, from December 25, the ballot paper will reach the districts with the help of law enforcement forces,” he said at a press conference held at the media centre of Nirbachan Bhaban in the city’s Agargaon area.

Currently, printing of ballots is going on in three government presses, including BG Press, he said, adding that there is no specific budget for the printing of ballot papers. However, Taka 33 crores have already been given initially to this end, he added.

The ballot papers will be handed to the returning officers’ offices, he said, adding that later these will be preserved in the office of Returning Officers and Assistant Returning Officers.

To avoid reprinting, he said that the ballot papers will be printed first for those districts where no case is pending.

The Additional Secretary said that the Electoral Inquiry Committee and the Executive Magistrate are working at the field level to follow the electoral code of conduct properly.

He said that the lists of candidates for 300 constituencies have been received. The work of printing the ballot paper is going on following the lists of candidates, he added.

“Security forces will provide security for ballots and polling materials,” he said. (BSS)