The Election Commission has introduced amendments to the Upazila Election Conduct Rules 2024, with notable changes including a tenfold increase in the security deposit amount required for candidates.

Under the revised rules, candidates contesting for the Upazila Parishad chairman post must pay a security deposit of Tk1,00,000, while those vying for the vice-chairman post need to deposit Tk75,000. This marks a significant increase from the previous deposit amount of Tk10,000 for both positions.

A gazette notification regarding these amendments was published on Tuesday. Alongside the adjustment in the security deposit, other changes include the revision of the election period to 15 days, starting from the announcement of the schedule to the publication of the gazette. Additionally, the new rules allow for online submission of nomination papers and require candidates to provide proof of income tax return filing and Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) along with their nomination papers.

Furthermore, the revised rules stipulate that a candidate's security deposit will be forfeited if they receive less than 15% of the votes cast in the election, compared to the previous threshold of 12.5%.

In terms of election expenses, candidates running for chairman or vice-chairman positions are limited to spending a maximum of Tk25,00,000, while those contesting for the position of "female member" can spend up to Tk1,00,000.

Other changes include the commencement of campaigning from the day of symbol allocation, with digital and social media platforms now included in campaign activities. Additionally, the requirement for independent candidates to submit 250 voters' signatures has been eliminated, and colored posters and banners are permitted in addition to black and white ones.

The Election Commission is set to conduct elections for 481 Upazila Parishads in four phases next May, with voting scheduled for May 4, May 11, May 18, and May 25 for each respective phase.