Dhaka: A total of 22 political parties, out of the 40 registered ones with the Election Commission (EC), have so far submitted their audit reports on their financial transactions from 2014.

But, nine political parties, including the ruling Awami League and BNP, have sought further time from the Commission to submit their audit reports.

As the 31 July is a holiday, the deadline for submission of the audit reports will expire on Sunday, said EC deputy secretary Abdul Wadud.  

The EC has already granted AL’s appeal for the time extension till 31 August as it sought, while the decision about eight others parties, including BNP, will be taken later, he said.

Among those who placed the reports are Jatiya Party (Ershad), Bangladesh Workers’ Party, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal-Jasad, Jatiya Party-JP (Manju), Bangladesh Jatiya Party-BJP, Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB) and Krishak Sramik Janata League.

The EC last month sent reminders to all the 40 registered political parties about the 31-July deadline.

According to the Political Parties Registration Rules 2008, a party has to get its total transactions on a calendar year audited by a chartered accounting firm and submit a copy of the firm's report to the commission by 31 July of the subsequent year.

As per article 90H (1)(c) of the Representation of the People Order, the registration of a political party may be cancelled if it fails to submit the audit report in time for three consecutive years.