Pink Ballot: How the referendum will be conducted

Voting for the 13th National Parliamentary Election will be held on 12 February. The referendum on implementing the July National Charter will also take place on the same day. Voting will continue uninterrupted from 7:30am to 4:30pm.

According to the Election Commission, the referendum ballot paper will be pink.

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) A M M Nasir Uddin declared the full election schedule in an address to the nation on Thursday evening.

The referendum question will ask voters whether they agree to the implementation order of the July National Charter (Constitution Reform), 2025, and a set of constitutional reform proposals contained within the charter.

The proposals include:

Formation of the caretaker government, Election Commission, and other constitutional institutions as outlined in the July Charter.

Establishment of a Bicameral Parliament, with a 100-member upper house formed proportionately to each party’s share of the national vote, and requiring upper house approval for any constitutional amendment.

Mandatory implementation by the next elected government of 30 reform commitments agreed upon in the charter, including increased representation for women, election of the Deputy Speaker and parliamentary committee chairs from the opposition, strengthening of fundamental rights, judicial independence, empowerment of local government, and reforms related to the powers of the Prime Minister and President.

Execution of other reform pledges listed in the July Charter according to commitments made by political parties.

Voters will cast a “Yes” or “No” vote on these proposals.

The CEC also announced key deadlines for candidates. The last date for submitting nomination papers is 29 December. Scrutiny will take place between 30 December and 4 January. 

Appeals against Returning Officers’ decisions must be filed by 11 January, and appeal hearings will be conducted from 12 to 18 January. The final date for withdrawing candidature is 20 January.

The final list of candidates along with electoral symbols will be published on 21 January. Campaigning will begin on 22 January and will end on 10 February at 7:30 am, 48 hours before voting begins.

Polling will be held across all 300 constituencies on 12 February.