Guidelines issued to end confusion in candidate listings

The Election Commission (EC) has issued detailed directives to avoid confusion in candidate listings for the upcoming 13th National Parliamentary Election, particularly in constituencies where multiple candidates share the same name.

According to a notice signed by EC Deputy Secretary Mohammad Monir Hossain on Tuesday, candidate lists (Form-5) will now be arranged alphabetically in Bengali, with each candidate's allocated election symbol indicated alongside their name. In constituencies with identical candidate names, officials will use the candidate's father's, husband's, or mother's name to differentiate them. If necessary, the order of election symbols will also be considered, in accordance with Rule 9(1) of the Election Management Regulations, 2008. The EC said these measures aim to prevent voter confusion and ensure each candidate is clearly identifiable on official documents and ballots.

Separately, the EC has designated ten officials across the country to receive complaints and information related to both the parliamentary election and the concurrent national referendum.