The Election Commission (EC) has once again drawn scrutiny for frequently altering decisions on several critical matters directly related to the upcoming national parliamentary elections. Issues ranging from the demarcation of constituency boundaries to the eligibility or disqualification of candidates have seen the constitutional body take varying stances at different times. In some instances, even unofficial decisions by returning officers have prompted the Commission to revise its rulings, creating significant uncertainty in the electoral process.
The latest instance concerns the Pabna-1 and Pabna-2 constituencies, where legal complications arising from boundary decisions have led the EC to temporarily suspend elections. Initially, the Commission had filed appeals against a High Court ruling regarding these constituencies, but it later withdrew those appeals, adding to the confusion.
Following a decision by the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court on 5 January, the EC acted to suspend the polls in the two constituencies. On 24 December, in line with the High Court ruling, the EC had issued a gazette notification altering the boundaries of Pabna-1, Pabna-2, and Faridpur-2 constituencies. The revised boundaries were as follows:
| Constituency | Added Areas | Removed Areas |
|---|---|---|
| Pabna-1 | Sathia Upazila, Bera Municipality, 4 unions | – |
| Pabna-2 | – | Sujanagar Upazila, Bera Municipality, 4 unions |
The Appellate Division later stayed part of the EC’s 24 December notification, with the stay order remaining in effect until permission to appeal (leave to appeal) is granted. Consequently, the boundary changes implemented by the EC remain in force for now. Once the EC received a copy of this ruling, it decided to temporarily halt elections in the affected constituencies.
According to several senior EC officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, the Commission had resolved boundary-related appeals in Bagerhat and Gazipur. However, before the nomination period for the national elections closed, it made further changes to Pabna-1 and Pabna-2 boundaries in line with the High Court ruling, without waiting for the appellate process to conclude.
When asked about the suspension, EC Commissioner Abdur Rahmanel Mashud told Jugantor late on Thursday: “It cannot be said that elections in these two constituencies have been entirely cancelled. We have decided to temporarily suspend them. These elections will remain on hold until further orders from the Supreme Court.”