Dhaka: The Election Commission on Monday will take the final decision over the demands the three political parties placed regarding the municipality elections, says Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmad.

‘We’ll take the decision after discussion in the full commission’s meeting tomorrow. But you know our legal obligations and restrictions,’ the CEC told reporters while leaving his EC Secretariat office on Sunday afternoon.

Earlier on the day, Awami League and Jatiya Party demanded the Election Commission to allow Lawmakers to participate in electioneering during the municipality polls slated for 30 December, but BNP demanded not to allow Lawmakers’ participation in the campaign, says a UNB report.

Besides, BNP demanded extension of the municipality polls by at least 15 days, creating level playing field, stopping police harassment towards its workers and releasing its detained leaders and activists including its secretary general.

Jatiya Party also demanded the Election Commission extend the deadline for submitting the nomination papers for the municipal polls by at least 10 days from 3 December.

When the CEC’s attention was drawn to the demands, the CEC said the commission did not get enough time for changing the municipality election rules and could not discuss about the amendment with all parties after the passage of the Local Government (municipality) (Amendment) Act 2015 in the Parliament.

He said there is no scope to arrange the municipality election in the next few months after December as the EC will have to publish draft updated voter list, and receive and dispose of complaints over the draft throughout January as SSC examination will begin at the beginning of February and then HSC examination will be held.

‘If we’re able arrange the polls on 30 December, it would be our last chance to hold the polls as per the law. Otherwise, we’ll have to breach the laws as many municipalities would have completed their present five-year tenures from 7 February,’ he said.

The Election Commission has legal obligation to complete election of any municipality in the 90 days preceding fulfilment of its five-year tenure, he added.

He said, ‘Any registered political party is our main stakeholder, when they come up with any opinion we consider it giving high importance. If we can’t accommodate anything of them, we’ll inform them why we could not do it.’

The CEC said, ‘We’ve to arrange the polls within this schedule to avoid violation of the law… We’ve kept maximum time as per law (for submission of nomination papers and campaign).’

About BNP’s allegations that its leaders and activists are being harassed by police, the CEC said, ‘If anyone is arrested for harassing him, there is higher courts to get redress. But none will be harassed unnecessarily and should not be as well. I hope all will be careful regarding this.’

As per the election schedule declared by the CEC on 24 November, the deadline for submission of nomination papers in 234 municipalities holding elections is 3 December, while the dates for scrutiny of nomination papers is 5 and 6 December, and the last date for withdrawal of candidature is 13 December.

This is the first time the local government body election is being held along party line with symbols of registered political parties in the country.