Dhaka: Terming Tuesday’s city polls a farce, pro-BNP professionals’ electoral platform Adarsha Dhaka Andolan on Wednesday demanded annulment of the elections and resignation of the Election Commission.

“Yesterday’s (Tuesday’s) polls were a serious scandalous incident of the nation’s history. The total election process turned into garbage due to the Election Commission’s waywardness, law enforcers and the ruling party cadres,” said platform’s member secretary Shawkat Mahmud.  He further said, “We pulled out our candidates from the heinous, farcical and ridiculous polls. Now we demand cancellation of the farcical polls and resignation of the entire Election Commission.” Shawkat Mahmud came up with the demand at a press conference at the Jatiya Press Club.

Four hours after the start of voting, BNP on Tuesday boycotted the elections to all the three city corporations in Dhaka and Chittagong bringing the allegations of widespread vote rigging and capturing of polling centres by pro-Awami League men with the help of law enforcers and polling officials.

BNP standing Committee member Barrister Moudud Ahmed announced the decision at a press briefing at BNP central office at Nayapaltan in the city Tuesday noon halfway through the crucial city corporation elections.

After the vote counting, Awami League-backed candidates Annisul Huq, Sayeed Khokon and AJM Nasir were unofficially elected mayors of Dhaka north, Dhaka south and Chittagong city corporations in the polls.

He further said, “We demand the Election Commission quit forthwith in the interest of the nation.”