Election Commissioner Md Anwarul Islam Sarker said on Tuesday that no one serving as an adviser to the interim government, or holding any other government position, will be allowed to contest the upcoming national election.

“Individuals holding such posts cannot be candidates in the 13th national election, nor can they participate in election campaigning in favour of any candidate,” he told reporters at Nirbachan Bhaban in the capital.

The election commissioner explained, “According to the electoral code of conduct, no one holding a government position can participate in election campaigning. If they cannot campaign, they cannot be candidates. Therefore, no one in any government post can run in the election.”

Regarding election preparations, he said, “All our preparations are complete. The announcement of the schedule is now just a matter of time. The Election Commission has completed all preparations required for the announcement, including seat delimitation, notifications for returning officers and assistant returning officers as per the law, and the issuance of about 20 circulars on various matters.”

He further said, “Mobile courts, magistrate appointments, appointment of the Electoral Inquiry Committee, judicial magistrates, formation of monitoring cells, and law-and-order cells  ̵ these formats are ready. We will issue them sequentially right after the schedule is announced.”