"A daylong discussion will be held with civil society groups and personalities. Those who are involved in election-related activities will be invited to the discussion," Election Commissioner Brig Gen (retd) M Sakhawat Hossain told reporters at his office yesterday.

He hoped that a large number of civil society groups and personalities will attend the discussion at the National Economic Council auditorium.

After the talks with the civil society groups and personalities, the EC will sit with the editors of different newspapers and senior journalists seeking their opinions on holding a free and fair election, Sakhawat said.

The EC, however, could not finalise the schedule for talks with political parties as the government is yet to decide about the withdrawal of restriction on indoor politics.

"We will sit with the political parties as soon as the government withdraws the restriction," Sakhawat said.

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) ATM Shamsul Huda at a meeting with the law adviser on April 4 asked the government to withdraw the restriction on indoor politics so that the EC can hold talks with the political parties.

At a press conference on April 5, he disclosed a set of proposals for electoral reforms, which the EC said would be completed by July.

The EC has always emphasised the necessity of political parties' opinions on any electoral issues and invited them first for talks.

Meanwhile, a pilot project for the feasibility study on the EC plan to prepare voter list with photographs and national identity cards simultaneously will begin at the end of next month.

The EC project for preparing the voter list will be conducted initially in two areas--an urban and a rural--to identify possible problems the EC might face while working, Sakhawat told reporters.

On the EC's plan to remove controversy over the appointment of 320 upazila election officers, he said the recruits will have to sit an examination early next month to prove their capability for the job.

Asked if the probe report on the alleged irregularities in awarding the task for printing the controversial updated voter list was submitted, he said the report is now at the EC Secretariat.

"Actions will be taken as per the findings of the report to avert recurrence of same mistakes in future," the election commissioner added.