Dhaka, Aug 18 (V7N) – Two candidates will contest the presidential election scheduled for August 20, as neither of the valid nominees withdrew their candidacies by yestarday's deadline, Election Commission (EC) Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed has confirmed .
"Arrangements have been made for voting in the presidential election from 2 pm to 5 pm on August 20 in the session hall of the National Parliament building," he said while briefing journalists at the Election Building in Agargaon .
According to the Presidential Election Act of 1991, Tuesday was the last day for withdrawing nomination papers. "After scrutiny, we informed that the candidacies of two candidates were found valid. Neither of them withdrew their nomination papers. Accordingly, two candidates will contest the presidential election on August 20. They are Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and Colonel (retd.) Ali Ahmed, Bir Bikram," he added .
The presidential election will be held in the parliament chamber, with the total number of voters being 349 members of parliament . According to Article 70 of the Constitution, MPs cannot vote against their party's decision, and with the BNP holding a strong majority, its candidate Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir is widely expected to win .
At the start of voting, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) AMM Nasir Uddin will brief voters on the procedure. Ballot papers have already been printed, and counting will commence after voting ends at 5 pm. The candidate receiving the most votes will be declared the winner by the returning officer in parliament, after which a gazette will be published .
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