EC allocated Tk 4,400 crore in FY26-27 budget

The Election Commission (EC) Secretariat has been allocated Tk 4,400 crore in the proposed 2026-27 national budget, with a major portion expected to be spent on upcoming local government elections.

Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury placed the allocation in Parliament on Thursday while presenting the Tk 9.38 trillion national budget for the next fiscal year.

The EC had initially sought Tk 5,500 crore, but received Tk 4,400 crore, including Tk 3,643 crore for operational expenses and Tk 757 crore for development activities, leaving a shortfall of Tk 1,100 crore against its demand.

In the previous FY25-26 budget, the EC was initially allocated Tk 2,956 crore, later revised to Tk 4,346 crore.

Officials said the allocation will support extensive local government polls, including union parishads, upazila parishads, municipalities and city corporations across the country in the coming fiscal year.

TZ