DUCSU: Returning officer misspoke, Chhatra Dal VP candidate Abidul did not break rules

PARBATTA NEWS DESK

Chhatra Dal’s vice president candidate, Abidul Islam Khan, did not breach election rules by entering a polling centre during the DUCSU election, reports Prothom Alo.

According to the newspaper, Abidul entered the Physical Education Centre polling station around 08:30 am on Tuesday, in the section where Jagannath Hall students were casting their votes.

Initially, Returning Officer Kazi Mostak Gausul Haque told Prothom Alo by phone that candidates could not enter polling centres. “There is no scope for candidates to enter the polling centre. I was at the Zahurul Haque centre. I don’t know about the matter. I am looking into it,” he told the paper.

Later, speaking at the Jagannath Hall polling centre, Haque said: “Since I came here, I have not found anyone. And no one else will be allowed to enter,” the outlet reported.

However, the report noted that section 12(b) of the electoral code of conduct permits election officials, candidates, polling agents and persons authorised by the returning officer to enter polling centres.

Abidul told journalists he had entered with the returning officer’s permission, according to the paper.

When contacted again at midday, the returning officer did not provide a formal statement, the outlet added.

In a correction, Prothom Alo said its earlier live report at 09:08 had incorrectly stated that Abidul broke rules by entering the centre. The correction clarified that candidates are permitted under the code to enter polling centres and added: “We apologise for the unintentional mistake.”