CEC to meet acting speaker tomorrow ahead of presidential election schedule

Highlights:

• Meeting precedes presidential election schedule announcement
• Constitution requires election within 90 days
• EC to finalise preparations for 23rd presidential election

The Election Commission (EC) will meet Acting Speaker of Parliament Barrister Kayser Kamal tomorrow (28 July) as part of the constitutional process before announcing the schedule for the presidential election.

The meeting is scheduled to begin at 11:00am at the acting speaker's office in the Jatiyo Sangsad Bhaban, with Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) AMM Nasir Uddin leading the EC delegation.

Assistant Director (Public Relations) of the Parliament Secretariat Rashed Mizan confirmed the meeting today (27 July).

"Tomorrow, 28 July, at 11:00am, the Chief Election Commissioner, along with the Election Commission, will meet the acting speaker of Parliament," he said.

Earlier today, EC Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed said the commission had sought an appointment with the acting Speaker ahead of the 23rd presidential election.

According to a letter sent by EC Secretary Akhtar Ahmed to the secretary of parliament, the office of the president became vacant following the resignation of former president Mohammed Shahabuddin under Article 123(2) of the Constitution.

The letter noted that the Constitution requires the process of electing a new president to be completed within 90 days of the office becoming vacant.

It also stated that, under Section 5 of the Presidential Election Act, 1991, the Election Commission must consult the Speaker before announcing the election schedule. The commission therefore requested that a meeting with the CEC be arranged.

The letter added that all election commissioners and the senior secretary of the EC Secretariat would attend the meeting.

If everything proceeds as planned, the meeting is expected to finalise the commission's preparations ahead of announcing the schedule for the 2026 presidential election.