Representation of the People Order (Second Amendment) Ordinance, 2025

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 Order (Second Amendment) Ordinance, 2025 নামে অভিহিত হইবে।

(২) ইহা অবিলম্বে কার্যকর হইবে।

Section ২. P, O No 155 of 1972 এর Article 27 এর সংশোধন

Representation of the People Order, 1972[President’s Order (P.O.) No.155 of 1972], অত:পর উক্ত Order বলিয়া উল্লিখিত, এর Article 27 এর clause (10) এর পরিবর্তে নিম্নরূপ clause (10) প্রতিস্থাপিত হইবে, যথা:-

“(10) A postal ballot paper issued under this Article shall be excluded from the count in favour of any contesting candidate if:

Section ৩. P, O No 155 of 1972 এ নূতন Article 37A এর সংযোজন

উক্ত Order এর Article 37 এর পর নিম্নরূপ নূতন Article 37A সংযোজিত হইবে, যথা:-

“37A. (1) Notwithstanding anything contained in this Order, the office of the Returning Officer shall, for each constituency, be deemed to be a polling station solely for the purpose of counting all postal ballots duly received by the Returning Officer up to the official closing time of the poll.

(2) The Returning Officer shall appoint a Presiding Officer and such number of Polling Officers as he may deem necessary to conduct the counting of postal ballots.

(3) The Presiding Officer shall, in the presence of the contesting candidates or their election agents or polling agents, open the postal ballot envelopes and count the votes cast in favour of each contesting candidate in such manner and in accordance with such procedure as may be prescribed by the Commission.

(4) Upon completion of the counting of all postal ballots, the Presiding Officer shall prepare a duly authenticated statement of the postal ballot count in the prescribed form and shall submit the same to the Returning Officer without delay.

(5) The Returning Officer shall incorporate the postal ballot count, as submitted by the Presiding Officer, into the consolidated result of the constituency in accordance with the provisions of Article 37 of this Order and the Rules, if any made thereunder.”।

Section ৪. P, O No 155 of 1972 এর Article 39 এর সংশোধন

উক্ত Order এর Article 39 এর clause (1) ও (2) এর পরিবর্তে নিম্নরূপ clause (1) ও (2) প্রতিস্থাপিত হইবে, যথা:-

“(1) The Returning Officer shall, after obtaining the result of the count under Article 37, declare by public notice the contesting candidate who has received the highest number of votes to be elected.

(2) The public notice shall contain the name of, and the total number of votes received by, each contesting candidate as a result of consolidation under Article 37.”।

Section ৫. P, O No 155 of 1972 এর Article 89A এর সংশোধন

উক্ত Order এর Article 89A এর বিদ্যমান বিধান clause (1) হিসাবে পুনঃসংখ্যায়িত হইবে এবং অতঃপর নিম্নরুপ নূতন clause (2) ও (3) সংযোজিত হইবে, যথা:-

“(2) The Superintendent of Police, Police Commissioner, the Officer-in-Charge of the local police station and the commander or any officer in-charge of any force engaged in election duty, shall provide striking force and render such other assistance as may be required by the person performing duties under this Article for the due discharge of his functions under this Order; and if any of the aforesaid persons fails, refuses, or neglects to comply, without any reasonable cause, he may be deemed to be guilty of inefficiency or misconduct.

(3) The Returning Officer and the Assistant Returning Officer shall provide all necessary assistance as may be required by the person performing duties under this Article for the due discharge of his functions under this Order.”।

Section ৬. P, O No 155 of 1972 এর Article 91A এর সংশোধন

উক্ত Order এর Article 91A এর clause (1) উল্লিখিত “Electoral Enquiry” শব্দগুলির পর “and Adjudication” শব্দগুলির সন্নিবেশিত হইবে।

Section ৭. P, O No 155 of 1972 এ নূতন Article 91AA এর সংযোজন

উক্ত Order এর Article 91Aএর পর নিম্নরূপ নূতন Article 91AA সংযোজিত হইবে, যথা:-

“91AA. (1) Notwithstanding anything contained in Article 91A or in any other law for the time being in force, the Electoral Enquiry and Adjudication Committee shall have the jurisdiction to try summarily the offences under Articles 73, 75, 77 and clause (3) of Article 91B of this Order, and shall have the powers of a Magistrate of the first class to try such offences summarily in accordance with the provisions of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898 (Act No. V of 1898).

(2) Subject to the provisions of Article 89, the Electoral Enquiry and Adjudication Committee shall also have power to take cognizance of other offences under this Order, not being offences mentioned in Article 89A; and, upon taking cognizance, shall forward the case to the competent Court having jurisdiction for trial in accordance with law.

(3) District Superintendent of Police, Police Commissioner, Inspector of Police or any police officer in charge of a station and the commander or any officer in-charge of any force engaged in election duty, shall provide striking force and render such other assistance as may be required by the Committee for the due discharge of its functions under this Order; and if any of the aforesaid persons fails, refuses, or neglects to comply, without any reasonable cause, he may be deemed to be guilty of inefficiency or misconduct.

(4) The Returning Officer and the Assistant Returning Officer shall provide all necessary assistance as may be required by the Committee for the due discharge of its functions under this Order.”।