TDS Desk

When a citizen updates their address, the corresponding voter area on their National Identity Card (NID) also changes, leading to confusion among citizens. To address this issue, the Election Commission (EC) is initiating plans to differentiate between the voting area and the current address. Specifically, the NID will now include three addresses: current address, permanent address, and voter area.

According to EC officials, the current address on the NID is currently used as the voter area. Consequently, if the current address changes for any reason, the voting area changes as well. This can result in many individuals missing out on their chance to vote for electing public representatives in their area.

Recently, the EC formed a committee tasked with revising or transferring voting areas and enhancing NID services. The committee reviewed various issues faced by service recipients and issued recommendations, which were signed by the committee chair, EC Deputy Secretary M Mazharul Islam. This proposal now awaits approval from the commission before implementation.

EC officials noted that voter transfer operations are halted from the moment the election schedule is announced until the results are declared. During this period, no transfers can be completed without the Election Commission’s approval.

Moreover, Bangladeshi citizens living abroad are also being registered while overseas. Although their current address may be in their host country, the voter area information from Bangladesh appears on the back of their card. While gathering registration data, details about their address abroad are also collected, complicating the relationship between their current address and the voting area.

Officials pointed out that if citizens need to update their NID address for various official reasons or while travelling abroad, they find it nearly impossible, as changing the NID’s current address is closely tied to voter transfer processes. The time-consuming transfer procedure, which requires presenting case-specific documents and obtaining approval from the Election Commission, often leads to delays and inconveniences for citizens. Acknowledging this, the Service Facilitation Committee has proposed that both the permanent and current addresses be recorded alongside the voting area when obtaining an NID or registering as a new voter.

Once implemented, voters will have three recorded addresses: current or contact, permanent, and voter address. These addresses can be identical or different. The current or contact address will be printed on the back of the NID, potentially reflecting an address in the country or abroad. While the permanent address will be stored in the database, the voter address will appear in the printed voter list.

This change will bring about three major benefits. Firstly, even after the election schedule is announced, voters will no longer need to change their NID address during migration; they will only need to update their current or contact address, ensuring no disruption to the voter list.

Secondly, it is common for individuals to transfer their voter registration multiple times; however, since the current address and voter area are linked, any change in address for official reasons necessitates a voter transfer as well. The pressure to transfer registrations escalates before elections, making it difficult to discern whether a transfer is officially motivated or election-related. By having three distinct addresses in the database, officials will be better equipped to understand the purpose of each application, thus minimizing repeated transfers before elections and even allowing for limits on the number of times a voter can transfer.

Lastly, having three addresses means that expatriate citizens will have their current or contact address listed on the back of their NID, enabling easier identification and granting them access to various government services prioritizing expatriates.