The Election Commission (EC) has finalised amendments to the Representation of the People Order (RPO) 1972 ahead of the 13th National Parliamentary Election, restoring the ‘No’ vote provision and confirming that political parties in electoral alliances must still contest under their own symbols.
The decisions were announced by Election Commissioner Brigadier General (Retd.) Abul Fazal Md. Sanaullah following a commission meeting chaired by Chief Election Commissioner A M M Nasir Uddin at the EC headquarters in Agargaon on Monday.
Alliance Polls with Party Symbols
Under the amended RPO, allied parties will not share a single symbol but will field candidates using their own party logos, preserving party identity within alliances.
‘No’ Vote Restored
The ‘No’ vote, introduced during the 2008 caretaker administration and later scrapped by the Awami League government, is now reinstated. In any seat with a single candidate, voters will have the option to reject them via a ‘No’ vote. If the ‘No’ vote wins, the election in that seat will be re-held.
Full Powers to Cancel Results
The EC will regain its authority to cancel results for one, multiple, or all constituencies if irregularities are detected. Tie votes will no longer be decided by lottery but through re-election. All provisions related to Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) have been removed from the RPO.
False Affidavit Penalties
If a candidate is found to have provided false information in their affidavit, their candidature can be cancelled — but only during their elected term.
Security Forces, Transfers, and Election Conduct
The definition of law enforcement will now include the armed forces, navy, air force, and coast guard. Police and administrative transfers after the election schedule is announced will require EC consultation, and the authority will extend to DIG-rank officers.
Election Finance and AI Regulation
Both individuals and institutions can donate up to Tk 50 lakh to parties or candidates, but only through bank transactions, with the donor’s name appearing in tax records. The EC is also introducing measures against the misuse of Artificial Intelligence to spread misinformation or defamation, and will implement a plan to counter false information on social media through credible information campaigns.
Gender Respect and Cyberbullying
The election code of conduct will include explicit clauses to prevent cyberbullying and to ensure respect towards women during campaigns.
Political Party Suspension Rules
The RPO will clarify that if a political party’s activities are suspended or it is banned, the EC will also suspend its registration.
Media Access and Constituency Disputes
Journalists will be allowed to observe vote counting in full but must remain for the entire process. Regarding constituency demarcation, the EC received objections from 82 constituencies, which will be settled after hearings.
Party Registration Update
Out of 143 new party applications, none initially met the full criteria. After a 15-day grace period, 84 parties submitted missing documents, but only 22 met the requirements. Field verification will now begin for these 22, including the National Citizen Party (NCP), Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JASAD – Shahjahan Siraj), Bangladesh Communist Party (Marxist), and others.
