The State Minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives (LGRD), Mir Shahe Alam, said on Tuesday that the government was not consulted before the Election Commission (EC) announced the schedule for the Union Parishad elections a day earlier.

Speaking to journalists at the Secretariat, the minister said the EC has the constitutional authority to conduct elections, but traditionally discusses the matter with the government before announcing election dates.

“Like you all, we at the Ministry of Local Government have seen in newspapers, on social media and on television that the Election Commission has announced dates for holding the Union Parishad elections in several phases,” he said.

“There has been no discussion with the ministry or the government, and the government knows nothing about the matter,” Shahe Alam added.

Earlier on Monday, the EC said it planned to hold the countrywide Union Parishad (UP) elections in seven phases, with the first phase scheduled for November 12, covering all UPs in 80 upazilas across 63 districts.

The tentative schedule was finalised at a preparatory meeting of the commission, Election Commissioner Brig Gen (retd) Abul Fazal Md Sanaullah said after the meeting.

According to the tentative schedule, the second phase will be held on December 13, the third on December 30, the fourth on January 17 next year, the fifth on February 4, the sixth on April 12 and the seventh on May 27.

Sanaullah said there are 4,580 Union Parishads across the country.

He also said the commission would hold discussions with all registered political parties on the local government elections on September 23, 24 and 25.

Two representatives from each registered political party will be invited to participate in the discussions ahead of the local government elections.