Dhaka – The Election Commission on Saturday published the draft updated voter list of 2016 across the country, showing some 43,68,047 fresh voters with 4.5 percent growth rate.
Like the previous update carried out in 2014, the share of women among the fresh voters is significantly low as the percentage of females is 47.39, while that of men is 52.61.
“A total of 43,68,047 fresh voters — 22,97,895 men and 20,70,152 women—got registered in the update (conducted last year) posting 4.5 percent growth from the existing voters of 9,62,26,542,” EC Secretary Sirazul Islam told a press briefing at the EC’s media centre.Besides, he said, 7,35,871 dead voters, including 4,85799 men and 2,50,072 women, were removed from the voter list during the update.
About the fresh female voters, the EC Secretary admitted that there is a gap between the proportion of men and that of women this time as well.
“The gap was much higher in the last update. There’s a gap this time as well. But the gap is not significant among the country’s overall voters as per the EC’s database,” he said.
Sirazul said, “The draft voter list was published across the country today to receive complaints till January 17, and the Commission will publish the country’s final voter list on January 31 disposing of the complaints, if any,” he said.
The draft electoral roll was displayed in district election offices, upazila or thana election offices, offices of the revising authorities, Union Parishad offices, municipality offices, ward offices, cantonment board offices, voter registration centres or any other public place across the country, he said.
The Commission appointed some regional election officers, district election officers, Upazila Nirbahi Officers (UNOs), additional deputy commissioners (ADC), additional district magistrates, executive officers of city corporations and cantonment boards as the revising authorities to receive and dispose of complaint over the draft lists, he added.
Earlier on July 25 last year, the Election Commission started data collection of possible voters across the country with an estimate of 2.5 percent growth of the existing voters.
But the update exercise showed an unusual growth rate of 4.5 percent, which is much higher than the estimated 2.5 percent growth.
About enrolling people of now-defunct enclaves, the EC Secretary said the Commission is waiting for the delimitation of the ex-enclaves, which are required for including them in the voter list.
If the Local Government Ministry sends the copies of re-demarcation of the relevant wards and union parishads incorporating the ex-enclaves, the commission will enroll the inhabitants of these, promptly undertaking a programme, he said. – Nwes Desk
