By-election to Thakurgaon-1 within 90 days: EC

The Election Commission (EC) has begun the necessary process to hold a by-election to the Thakurgaon-1 constituency within 90 days following the election of former BNP Secretary General Mr. Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir as president. After Mr. Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir took oath as president last Friday, the Election Commission declared the Thakurgaon-1 seat vacant yesterday, Saturday.

According to the notification signed by Barrister Md Golam Sarwar Bhuiyan, secretary of the Jatiya Sangsad Secretariat, Mr. Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, the elected member of parliament from Thakurgaon-1, assumed office as president at 7:30pm on August 21. As a result, his parliamentary seat became vacant from that day in accordance with Article 50(4) of the Constitution. A letter from the Jatiya Sangsad Secretariat on the matter has been sent to the Election Commission Secretariat. The formal process for the by-election will begin after the gazette is published.

Election Commissioner Mr. Abdur Rahmanel Masud said that since the seat has been declared vacant, the commission will now examine the relevant laws and rules before taking the next steps. The by-election will be held within 90 days. As the local government elections are approaching, the commission will not take much time to organise the by-election to Thakurgaon-1 and will arrange the election as soon as possible.

According to the Constitution, there are clear provisions for holding a by-election to fill a vacant parliamentary seat. Under Article 123(4) of the Constitution, if a parliamentary seat becomes vacant for any reason other than the dissolution of Parliament, an election must be held within 90 days from the date the seat becomes vacant to fill the vacancy. However, provision has also been made for some extension of the deadline under special circumstances.