Dhaka: Elections to 234 municipalities across the country will be held on 30 December, said Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmad on Tuesday.

The CEC announced the schedule at a press briefing at the Media Centre of the EC Secretariat.

As per the schedule, the deadline for the submission of nomination papers is 3 December while the dates for the scrutiny are 5 and 6 December, and the last date for the withdrawal of candidature is 13 December.

Earlier, the Commission on Sunday sent the draft election rules and code of conduct to the Law Ministry for its vetting following the recent amendment to the Local Government (Municipality) Act 2009.

On 19 November, Parliament passed the Local Government (Municipality) (Amendment) Bill 2015 aiming to pave the path for arranging the election only to the mayoral post in the country’s municipalities under party line.

As per the new municipality act, the candidates nominated by different political parties registered with the Election Commission or independent aspirants will be able to contest the polls for the mayoral posts in the country’s 324 municipalities.

However, elections to the remaining councillor posts, including the reserve seats for women, of the municipalities will be held in non-partisan manner under the existing system.