Rajshahi Correspondent:

In response to the demands of the candidates, the Election Commission has amended the guidelines regarding the allocation of ballot numbers for the elections of the Rajshahi University Central Students’ Union (RUCSU), Hall Unions, and student representatives to the Senate.

According to the revised decision, ballot numbers for each position will be determined through a lottery.

This decision was made during an emergency meeting of the Election Commission.

As per the amended new guidelines, ballot numbers for the central union and student representative elections to the Senate was allocated through a lottery at the university’s Senate Building on Sunday at 3pm.

A notice signed by the Chief Returning Officer of the Election Commission, Professor Dr Setaur Rahman, on Saturday night, instructed all candidates to be present at the Senate Building on Sunday at 3pm. There, ballot numbers will be assigned for each position through a lottery.

Earlier on Saturday, leaders of several panels raised objections to the ballot number allocation method with the Election Commission. Subsequently, the decision to amend the guidelines was taken at the emergency meeting of the Election Commission that night.

According to Clause 6(4) of the Election Commission’s previous guidelines, it was stated that if candidate lists were submitted in panel form, the panel order would be determined by lottery. The Election Commission would publish the list of independent candidates in the order of the Bengali alphabet’s initial letters.

However, the amended guidelines state that, for the RUCSU, Hall Union, and student representative elections to the Senate 2025, the ballot number for each candidate will be determined by lottery for each respective position.

Meanwhile, to ensure a fair and secure voting process, 102 steel ballot boxes are being prepared. These will be ready within a week. Additionally, votes will be counted using electronic machines.

The RUCSU voting is scheduled to take place on the upcoming 25th September.