Voting Time May Be Extended by One Hour: Final Decision at EC Meeting on Sunday

Dec 03, 2025
Politics

Symbolic Photo: Election Commission (EC) (Collected)

PNN News Desk, Dhaka

Ahead of the upcoming national parliamentary election and same-day referendum, the Election Commission (EC) is considering extending voting time by one hour. The proposal arises from the expectation that voting will take longer due to two ballots being cast simultaneously. A final decision is expected at the EC meeting scheduled for Sunday. The meeting may also set the election schedule.

The caretaker government has announced that the parliamentary election will take place in the first half of February next year and the national ID referendum in July on the same day. On Saturday, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) A.M.M. Nasir Uddin said that the schedule may be announced in the second week of December.

Currently, voting runs from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. This time may be extended by one hour, possibly from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., considering winter weather and daylight hours. The extension aims to ensure voters have enough time to cast ballots, especially since secret booths are limited and setting up new polling centers in rural areas is challenging.

The EC’s preparations are nearly complete. The schedule is expected to be announced between December 7–11. Following the schedule, voting may occur between February 5–12, based on the previous two-month advance notice rule.

Election Commissioner Anwarul Islam said, “The issue of extending voting hours is under careful consideration. A decision may be taken at Sunday’s meeting. The schedule announcement is also planned for the second week.” The extra time would help manage voter flow smoothly and ensure a transparent election.