Representation of the People (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025

Representation of the People Order, 1972 এর অধিকতর সংশোধনকল্পে প্রণীত অধ্যাদেশ যেহেতু নিম্নবর্ণিত উদ্দেশ্যসমূহ পূরণকল্পে, Representation of the People Order, 1972 (President's Order No. 155 of 1972) এর অধিকতর সংশোধন সমীচীন ও প্রয়োজনীয়; এবং যেহেতু সংসদ ভাঙ্গিয়া যাওয়া অবস্থায় রহিয়াছে এবং রাষ্ট্রপতির নিকট ইহা সন্তোষজনকভাবে প্রতীয়মান হইয়াছে যে, আশু ব্যবস্থা গ্রহণের জন্য প্রয়োজনীয় পরিস্থিতি বিদ্যমান রহিয়াছে; সেহেতু গণপ্রজাতন্ত্রী বাংলাদেশের সংবিধানের ৯৩(১) অনুচ্ছেদে প্রদত্ত ক্ষমতাবলে রাষ্ট্রপতি নিম্নরূপ অধ্যাদেশ প্রণয়ন ও জারি করিলেন:-

Section ১. সংক্ষিপ্ত শিরোনাম ও প্রবর্তন

(১) এই অধ্যাদেশ Representation of the People (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025 নামে অভিহিত হইবে।

(২) ইহা অবিলম্বে কার্যকর হইবে।

Section ২. P, O No 155 of 1972 এর Article 2 এর সংশোধন

Representation of the People Order, 1972[President's Order (P.O.) No. 155 of 1972], অতঃপর উক্ত Order বলিয়া উল্লিখিত, এর Article 2 এর-

Section ৩. P, O No 155 of 1972 এর Article 8 এর সংশোধন

উক্ত Order এর Article 8 এর clause (1) এ উল্লিখিত "polling stations" শব্দগুলির পর "prepared by the District Election Officer and approved by the Commission" শব্দগুলি সন্নিবেশিত হইবে।

Section ৪. P, O No 155 of 1972 এর Article 9 এর সংশোধন

উক্ত Order এর Article 9 এর clause (4) এ উল্লিখিত "suspended" শব্দের পর "and shall inform the Commission of such suspension" শব্দগুলি সন্নিবেশিত হইবে।

Section ৫. P, O No 155 of 1972 এর Article 12 এর সংশোধন

উক্ত Order এর Article 12 এর-

"(aa) has been declared fugitive by any court;";

"(3) Every nomination paper shall be delivered by the candidate, or his proposer or seconder, to the Returning Officer or the Assistant Returning Officer who shall acknowledge the receipt of the nomination paper specifying the date and time of receipt.";

"(8) Notwithstanding anything contained anywhere in this Order or in any other law for the time being in force, if any dispute arises as to whether any Member of Parliament has, after his election become subject to any of the disqualifications mentioned herein above, the Election Commission, either suo-moto or being informed otherwise may hear and dispose of the said dispute in such manner as the Commission may deem fit and the decision taken on such case by the Commission shall be final."।

Section ৬. P, O No 155 of 1972 এর Article 13 এর সংশোধন

উক্ত Order এর Article 13 এর clause (1) এর sub-clause (a) তে উল্লিখিত "twenty" শব্দের পরিবর্তে "fifty" শব্দ প্রতিস্থাপিত হইবে।

Section ৭. P, O No 155 of 1972 এর Article 14 এর সংশোধন

উক্ত Order এর Article 14 এর clause (5) এর পরিবর্তে নিম্নরূপ clause (5) প্রতিস্থাপিত হইবে, যথা:-

"(5) If a candidate or any bank or any financial or service-providing organization of the Government is aggrieved by the decision of the Returning Officer, he or the concerned organization may prefer an appeal to the Commission within the prescribed period, and any order passed on such appeal shall be final."।

Section ৮. P, O No 155 of 1972 এর Article 19 এর সংশোধন

উক্ত Order এর Article 19 এর clause (1) এর পরিবর্তে নিম্নরূপ clause (1) প্রতিস্থাপিত হইবে, যথা:-

"(1)(a) Where, after scrutiny under Article 14, only one person remains validly nominated for election as a member from a constituency, or where, after withdrawal under Article 16, only one candidate remains, in such case, the election shall be held between the sole candidate and the 'No Vote' option. If the number of Votes received by the contesting candidate exceeds the number of 'No Vote', the Returning Officer shall, by public notice, declare such candidate to be elected to the seat. If the number of 'No Votes' exceeds the number of votes received by the contesting candidate, a fresh election shall be held in that constituency by announcing a fresh schedule.

Provided that if after scrutiny any candidate indicates that he intends to make an appeal under clause (5) of Article 14 against the rejection of his nomination paper, no person shall be declared elected uncontested until the period prescribed for filing such appeal has expired and no such appeal has been filed or, where an appeal is filed, until the disposal of such appeal."।

Section ৯. P, O No 155 of 1972 এর Article 20 এর সংশোধন

উক্ত Order এর Article 20 এর clause (1) এ উল্লিখিত "more" শব্দের পরিবর্তে "one or more" শব্দগুলি প্রতিস্থাপিত হইবে এবং অত:পর উহার sub-clause (a) এর শর্তাংশের পরিবর্তে নিম্নরূপ শর্তাংশ প্রতিস্থাপিত হইবে, যথা:-

"Provided that the Commission, on an application made to it in this behalf within 3 (three) days after the publication of the notification under clause (1) of Article 11, may in case of a combination of two or more registered political parties who have agreed to set up joint candidates for election, allot the symbol reserved for the political party to which the candidate belongs;"।

Section ১০. Ρ, Ο No 155 of 1972 এর Article 21 এর সংশোধন

উক্ত Order এর Article 21 এর clause (1) এ উল্লিখিত "a person" বর্ণ ও শব্দের পরিবর্তে "any voter of the concerned constituency" শব্দগুলি প্রতিস্থাপিত হইবে।

Section ১১. P, O No 155 of 1972 এর Article 25 এর সংশোধন

উক্ত Order এর Article 25 এর পরিবর্তে নিম্নরূপ Article 25 প্রতিস্থাপিত হইবে, যথা:-

"25.(1) The Presiding Officer of a polling station shall stop the poll and inform the Returning Officer that he has done so, if-

(2) Where a poll has been stopped under clause (1), the Returning Officer shall immediately report the circumstances to the Commission and the Commission shall direct a fresh poll at that polling station, unless it is satisfied that the result of the election has been determined by the polling station, taken with the results of the polling at other polling stations in the same constituency.

(3) Where the Commission orders a fresh poll under clause (2), the Returning Officer shall, with the approval of the Commission,-

(4) At a fresh poll taken under clause (3) at a polling station, all electors entitled to vote there at shall be allowed to vote and no vote cast at the poll stopped under clause (1) shall be counted, and the provisions of this Order and the rules and orders made thereunder shall apply to such fresh poll.”।

Section ১২. P, O No 155 of 1972 এর Article 26 এর সংশোধন

উক্ত Order এর Article 26 এ উল্লিখিত "or by using EVM or by both" শব্দগুলি বিলুপ্ত হইবে।

Section ১৩. P, O No 155 of 1972 এর Article 26A এর বিলুপ্তি

উক্ত Order এর Article 26A বিলুপ্ত হইবে।

Section ১৪. P, O No 155 of 1972 এর Article 26B এর বিলুপ্তি

উক্ত Order এর Article 26B বিলুপ্ত হইবে।

Section ১৫. P, O No 155 of 1972 এর Article 26C এর বিলুপ্তি

উক্ত Order এর Article 26C বিলুপ্ত হইবে।

Section ১৬. P, O No 155 of 1972 এর Article 26D এর বিলুপ্তি

উক্ত Order এর Article 26D বিলুপ্ত হইবে।

Section ১৭. P, O No 155 of 1972 এর Article 27 এর সংশোধন

উক্ত Order এর Article 27 এর পরিবর্তে নিম্নরূপ Article 27 প্রতিস্থাপিত হইবে, যথা:-

"27. (1) The following person may cast their votes by postal ballot in such manner as may be prescribed through circular, namely:-

(2) An elector who, being entitled to do so, intends to cast his vote by postal ballot shall enroll through a digital platform and procedure prescribed by the Commission-

(3) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Order the Commission shall upon the enrollment by an elector under clause (2) forthwith send by post to such elector a ballot paper containing the required number of electoral symbols allotted to registered political parties and reserved for independent candidates. The elector shall also receive an instruction and a prescribed declaration along with the return envelope containing address of the concerned Returning Officer.

(4) Each elector will be given with a unique identifier that will be used for personalization and to track the journey of postal ballot.

(5) Enrolment of an elector detained in any prison or in any lawful custody in Bangladesh shall be endorsed by the respective jail authority.

(6) The controlling authorities shall take necessary measures to facilitate and encourage the voters referred to in sub-clauses (a), (b), (c) and (d) of clause (1) to cast their votes through postal ballot with a view to exercising their citizen duties as provided in article 21 of the Constitution.

(7) Notwithstanding anything contained in Article 31, an elector referred to in clause (1), upon receipt of a postal ballot paper, shall record his vote in the prescribed manner contained in the instruction by placing a tick or cross mark against the symbol of the contesting candidate of his choice, enclose the completed ballot paper in the provided envelope, and post it to the concerned Returning Officer.

(8) The Commission shall forward a list of all electors to whom postal ballot papers have been issued to the concerned Returning Officers who shall ensure that the electors mentioned in the list sent by the Commission are not able to vote in person at the respective polling station.

(9) The postal ballot paper issued under this article shall be deemed to be a valid ballot paper for the purposes of this Article and Article 37 of this Order.

(10) A postal ballot paper issued under this Article shall be excluded from the count by the Returning Officer if:

(11) Every postal ballot paper issued under this Article shall bear a unique identifier and the signature of an authorized official of the Commission.

(12) Nothing in this Order shall prevent the Commission from issuing postal ballot papers prior to the publication of notification under Article 11.

(13) The Commission may, for carrying out the purposes of this Article, issue such circular (s) as it may deem fit."।

Section ১৮. P, O No 155 of 1972 এর Article 29 এর সংশোধন

উক্ত Order এর Article 29 এর-

"(bb) officers, persons, election observers and media personnel authorized by the Commission: and";

"(2) Notwithstanding anything contained in clause (1), no other individual including any candidate, agent of a candidate, leader or worker of any political party, or any influential person shall loiter unnecessarily within the polling station or within the boundary prescribed for the polling station.

(3) If such person does so, the Presiding Officer and the members of the law enforcing agencies shall forthwith remove such person from the said area and may, if necessary, arrest them, and in such a case, the said person shall be punishable under Article 79."।

Section ১৯. P, O No 155 of 1972 এর Article 31 এর সংশোধন

উক্ত Order এর Article 31 এর clause (1) এ উল্লিখিত "or allow him to cast his vote by using EVM" শব্দগুলি এবং issue শব্দের পর উল্লিখিত "to" শব্দ বিলুপ্ত হইবে।

Section ২০. P, O No 155 of 1972 এর Article 36 এর সংশোধন

উক্ত Order এর Article 36 এর clause (3) তে উল্লিখিত "and election observers" শব্দগুলির পরিবর্তে ", election observers and media personnel" কমা ও শব্দগুলি সন্নিবেশিত হইবে।

Section ২১. P, O No 155 of 1972 এর Article 37 এর সংশোধন

উক্ত Order এর Article 37 এর clause (2) এর পরিবর্তে নিম্নরূপ clause (2) প্রতিস্থাপিত হইবে, যথা:-

"(2) Before consolidating the results of the count, the Returning Officer, if he thinks necessary, may examine the ballot papers excluded from the count by the Presiding Officer and, if he finds that any such ballot paper should not have been so excluded, may count it as a ballot paper cast in favor of the contesting candidate for whom the vote has been cast thereby."।

Section ২২. P, O No 155 of 1972 এর Article 38 এর প্রতিস্থাপন

উক্ত Order এর Article 38 এর পরিবর্তে নিম্নরূপ Article 38 প্রতিস্থাপিত হইবে, যথা:-

"38. Where, after consolidation of the results of the count under Article 37, it is found that there is equality of votes between two or more contesting candidates, the Returning Officer shall forthwith submit a written report on such equality of votes to the Commission and the Commission shall then direct the Returning Officer to arrange for a re-poll among the contesting candidates who have secured an equal number of votes."।

Section ২৩. P, O No 155 of 1972 এর Article 44A এর সংশোধন

উক্ত Order এর Article 44A এর পরিবর্তে নিম্নরূপ Article 44A প্রতিস্থাপিত হইবে, যথা:-

"44A. In this Chapter, "election expenses" means any expenditure incurred or payment made, whether by way of gift, loan, advance, deposit or otherwise, for the arrangement, conduct or benefit of, or in connection with, or incidental to, the election of any candidate or any political party, including the expenditure on account of issuing circulars or publications or otherwise presenting to the electors the candidate's or party's views, aims or objects, but does not include the deposit made under Article 13."।

Section ২৪. P, O No 155 of 1972 এর Article 44B এর সংশোধন

উক্ত Order এর Article 44B এর-

"(3) The election expenses of a contesting candidate, including the expenditure incurred for him by the political party which has nominated him as its candidate, shall not exceed such amount as may be calculated on the basis of taka Ten per voter or total taka twenty five lac whichever is higher:";

"(a) printing of a poster; or

"(1) display of a symbol or portrait of a candidate exceeding the size prescribed or specified by the Commission; or"।

Section ২৫. P, O No 155 of 1972 এর Article 44CC এর সংশোধন

উক্ত Order এর Article 44CC এর clause (1) এর শেষাংশে উল্লিখিত "the mode of receipt" শব্দগুলির পর "and these details of the list of amounts received as donations must be transparently published on the political party's official website" শব্দগুলি সন্নিবেশিত হইবে।

Section ২৬. P, O No 155 of 1972 এর Article 44E এর সংশোধন

উক্ত Order এর Article 44E এর-

"(aal) Deputy Inspector General of Police;";

Section ২৭. P, O No 155 of 1972 এ নূতন Article 73A এর সংযোজন

উক্ত Order এর Article 73 এর পর নিম্নরূপ নূতন Article 73A সংযোজিত হইবে, যথা:-

"73A. (1) Whoever, during the period from publication of notification under Article 11 to the date of publication of result of the election in the official gazette knowingly creates, publishes, shares, or promotes any false or misleading information, image, video, audio, or other content-whether created manually or generated by artificial intelligence (AI) tools- with intent to harm the reputation of any contesting candidate or to influence the election result or otherwise impair the electoral integrity and environment, or uses automated bots, fake accounts, or synthetic media to disseminate false information against opposition candidates, political parties or the Commission, shall be guilty of corrupt practice under Article 73 and shall be punished thereunder.

(2) If the offence is committed by a person on behalf of a political party, candidate, campaign organization, or media agency, both the individual and the entity shall be held jointly liable."।

Section ২৮. P, O No 155 of 1972 এর Article 74 এর সংশোধন

উক্ত Order এর Article 74 এর clause (2) তে উল্লিখিত "44AA" সংখ্যা ও বর্ণগুলির পর ", 44B" কমা, সংখ্যা ও বর্ণ সন্নিবেশিত হইবে।

Section ২৯. P, O No 155 of 1972 এর Article 81 এর সংশোধন

উক্ত Order এর Article 81 এর clause (1) এর sub-clause (cc) তে উল্লিখিত ", for or in connection with EVM" কমা ও শব্দগুলি বিলুপ্ত হইবে।

Section ৩০. P, O No 155 of 1972 এর Article 87A এর সংশোধন

উক্ত Order এর Article 87A এর clause (1) এর sub-clause (a) এর পরিবর্তে নিম্নরূপ sub-clause (a) প্রতিস্থাপিত হইবে, যথা:-

"(a) poster or portrait or symbol of a candidate larger than the size prescribed or specified by the Commission;"।

Section ৩১. P, O No 155 of 1972 এর Article 89A এর সংশোধন

উক্ত Order এর Article 89A এর clause (a) তে উল্লিখিত "and Article 82" শব্দগুলি ও সংখ্যার পরিবর্তে ", Article 82, Article 91B(3)" কমাগুলি, শব্দগুলি, সংখ্যাগুলি, চিহ্নগুলি ও বর্ণ প্রতিস্থাপিত হইবে।

Section ৩২. P, O No 155 of 1972 এর Article 90B এর সংশোধন

উক্ত Order এর Article 90B এর clause (2) এর পর নিম্নরূপ নূতন clause (3) ও (4) সংযোজিত হইবে, যথাঃ-

"(3) Application for registration of a political party with the Commission shall be made in the prescribed form and in the prescribed manner.

(4) The Commission shall verify the terms and conditions referred to in clause (1)(a)(iii) of Article 90B through field investigation in the manner prescribed by the Commission."।

Section ৩৩. P, O No 155 of 1972 এর Article 90E এর সংশোধন

উক্ত Order এর Article 90E এর clause (2) তে উল্লিখিত "seven" শব্দের পরিবর্তে "fifteen" শব্দ প্রতিস্থাপিত হইবে।

Section ৩৪. P, O No 155 of 1972 এর Article 90F এর সংশোধন

উক্ত Order এর Article 90F এর clause (1) এর sub-clause (a) এর পরিবর্তে নিম্নরূপ sub-clause (a) প্রতিস্থাপিত হইবে, যথা:-

"(a) receive donation or grants or assets or service from any person, company, group of companies or non-government organization except the sources mentioned in clause (1) of Article 44CC:

Provided that such amount of donation or grants or assets or service shall not exceed the following limits, in a calendar year in the case of a person or a company or an organization, taka fifty lac or property or service equivalents to it:

Provided further that the donation or grants or assets or service as mentioned herein before which values taka fifty thousand or above shall be received through banking channels and shown in the tax return of the person making the donation or grants or assets or service provided;"।

Section ৩৫. P, O No 155 of 1972 এর নূতন Article 90HH এর সংযোজন

উক্ত Order এর Article 90H এর পর নিম্নরূপ নূতন Article 90HH সংযোজিত হইবে, যথা:-

"90HH. (1) The Election Commission may suspend the registration of any registered political party, and withhold the symbol reserved for it, until it is revoked, if-

(2) Where the registration of a political party is suspended under sub-clause (1), such suspension and withholding of its symbol, shall be published in the official Gazette.

(3) If any similar proceedings have already been undertaken, it shall be deemed to have been done under the said clause of the said Order as if the provision of that clause were in force before such action was taken."।

Section ৩৬. P, O No 155 of 1972 এর Article 91 এর সংশোধন

উক্ত Order এর Article 91 এর clause (a) এবং (aa) এর পরিবর্তে নিম্নরূপ clause (a) এবং (aa) প্রতিস্থাপিত হইবে, যথা:-

"(a) stop the election at any polling station or entire constituency, as the case may be, at any stage of the election if it is convinced that it shall not be able to ensure the conduct of the election justly, fairly and in accordance with law due to malpractices, including coercion, intimidation and pressures or for a reason of an act of God prevailing at the election;

Section ৩৭. P, O No 155 of 1972 এর Article 91B এর সংশোধন

উক্ত Order এর Article 91B এর পরিবর্তে নিম্নরূপ Article 91B প্রতিস্থাপিত হইবে, যথা:-

"91B. (1) The Commission may, for the purpose of ensuring free and fair election, formulate a Code of Conduct not inconsistent with the Provisions of this Order.

(2) Violation of any provision of the Code of Conduct shall be deemed to be pre-poll irregularity within the meaning of Article 91A.

(3) (a) Whoever contravenes any provision of the Code of Conduct formulated under clause (1) shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to 6 (six) months or with fine which may extend to taka 1 (one) lac and fifty thousand or with both;

(4) Notwithstanding anything contained in the Mobile Court Act, 2009 (Act No. 59 of 2009) or in any other law for the time being in force, the offence under clause (3) shall be triable by a Judicial Magistrate, Executive Magistrate or any other person who is empowered by the Commission in exercise of its power conferred upon it under Article 89A."।

Section ৩৮. P, O No 155 of 1972 এ নূতন Article 91F এর সংযোজন

উক্ত Order এর Article 91E এর পর নিম্নরূপ নূতন Article 91F সংযোজিত হইবে, যথা:-

"91F. (1) Notwithstanding anything contained in this Order or rules made thereunder, if during the tenure of the parliament it appears to the Commission on receiving an information from any source or written report that there is any discrepancy or false information provided in any affidavit furnished by a returned candidate or in the return of income and expenditure, the Commission shall pass an order for an investigation of the matter giving the returned candidate a reasonable opportunity of being heard.

(2) After receiving the investigation report under clause (1), if the Commission is satisfied that there is any discrepancy or false information provided in any information furnished in the candidate's affidavit or in the return of income and expenditure, the Commission may, by written order, declare that the candidature of such returned candidate was not lawful and forthwith declare his election void and thereupon the Commission shall arrange for a fresh election to be conducted in the relevant constituency."।