EC sets Nov 12 for By-Election to reserved women’s seat after BNP MP Mishti's resignation

The Election Commission (EC) has set November 12 for the by-election to a reserved women’s seat in the 13th Parliament that fell vacant following the resignation of Ferdousy Ahmed Mishti.

An official notification signed by EC Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed was issued on Monday, announcing the election schedule.

According to the schedule, the deadline for submitting nomination papers to the returning officer at Nirbachan Bhaban is October 26. The nomination papers will be scrutinised on October 27, while the last date for withdrawal of candidature is November 1.

Mishti was elected to a reserved women’s seat with a nomination from the BNP. Under the law, only the BNP can nominate a candidate for the vacant seat.

If more than one candidate contests the by-election, only lawmakers from the BNP alliance will be eligible to vote. However, reserved women’s seats generally have a single candidate, making a vote unnecessary.

Mishti resigned from her parliamentary seat on October 1 following instructions from Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, after allegations that she was involved in an attack, vandalism, looting and demolition at the Radda MCH-FP Centre, a maternal and child healthcare facility in Mirpur, Dhaka, on September 24.