President Iajuddin Ahmed on Thursday promulgated the new electoral rolls ordinance, clearing the way for preparing a fresh voter list with photographs for holding polls to different elected bodies, including parliament.

Complying with the new law, the field level task for preparing the fresh voter list with photographs started on Saturday in Rajshahi City Corporation area. The countrywide task is scheduled to be completed in phases by October 2008 according to the EC's announced roadmap for holding the stalled ninth parliamentary polls in December next year.

But in cases where necessary, the EC can take special measures to prepare the voter list without photographs, as in the existing voter list, officials in the EC Secretariat said.

"By issuing official gazette notification, the Election Commission can prepare voter list under special measures for an electoral area or a voter area if preparation of a voter list with photographs is not possible due to unavoidable reasons," said the new ordinance.

The provision was included in the law to meet any exigencies if preparation of voter list with photographs is not possible for particular areas, Election Commissioner Muhammed Sohul Hussain yesterday said.

Sohul however said they are determined to prepare the voter list with photographs in all the constituencies on time.

Officials at the EC Secretariat said the EC itself had proposed having the special power in the electoral rolls ordinance as a safeguard to avoid complexities in future.

"We will have to complete a massive task of preparing voter list of nearly nine crore voters in a fixed time. The commission can take alternative measures if preparation of voter list with photographs is not completed in a particular area," a senior official said.

The EC had earlier initiated a project for preparing identity cards for voters in 1994 and the law made it mandatory to show ID cards for casting vote. But before the sixth parliamentary election on February 15, 1996, the effectiveness of the law was suspended as the EC failed to prepare ID cards for all voters.

The new electoral rolls ordinance also says once the voter list with photographs is prepared, it will be updated each year, from January 2 to January 31.

Punitive measure will be taken for creating obstacle to preparation of the voter list. "One will be punished with one-year imprisonment and a fine of Tk 5,000 if he or she creates any obstacle to preparing the voter list," says the new law.

Besides, if any official involved in preparing the voter list fails to discharge duties properly without any valid reasons, he or she will be punished with six months' imprisonment and a fine of Tk 2,000.

However, prior permission of the EC will be needed to file a case against any officials involved in preparing the voter list, seeking compensation for any damage.

Promulgation of the new ordinance by the president also repeals the Electoral Rolls Ordinance 1982.