The Election Commission (EC) plans to hold the local government elections in November, a month later than initially planned, Election Commissioner Abdur Rahmanel Masud said today.

Speaking to The Daily Star at his office at the EC headquarters in Agargaon, Dhaka, this afternoon, Masud said the local government elections would begin with union parishads, the lowest tier of local government.

The code of conduct for elections to the four tiers of local government has been returned to the Election Commission after being vetted by the Ministry of Law.

On the election timeline, Masud said, “I have said the suitable time for holding the elections is November, December, January, February and March. We are moving ahead with November in mind.”

Asked why November had been chosen after the EC had earlier indicated that voting could begin in October, with the schedule announced in late August, Masud said, “We were working with October in mind. Now we are saying November, one month later.”

Explaining the one-month delay and referring to the Thakurgaon-1 by-election, the commissioner said, “Another election will take place at the end of October.”

“It will begin with union parishads; municipalities may also be included. But no decision has been made,” he added.