²[19. (1) For the purpose of election of commissioners, other than in reserved seats of a Paurashava, the municipality shall be divided into such number of wards as the Government may determine. (2) For the purpose of election of commissioners in reserved seats, the municipality shall be divided into one-third number of wards determined under sub-section (1).]

20. (1) For the purpose of delimitation of wards, the prescribed Authority may appoint from amongst persons in the service of the Republic as many delimitation officers and assistant delimitation officers as may be necessary. (2) An assistant delimitation officer shall assist the delimitation officer in the performance of his functions and may perform, under the control of the delimitation officer, the functions of the delimitation officer.

21. (1) The wards shall be delimited having regard to territorial unity and, so far as practicable, to distribution of population ³[save with a variation of not more than ten per cent] and administrative convenience. (2) A delimitation officer may, for the purpose of delimiting the wards, make such enquiries and examine such records as he may deem necessary and consider such representations as may be received by him, and shall publish at his office and at the office of the Paurashava and at such other place or places as he considers necessary a preliminary list of wards specifying the areas proposed to be included in each such ward together with a notice inviting objections or suggestions within fifteen days from the date of publication of the notice. (3) The objection or suggestion, if any, received under sub-section (2) shall be forwarded to the Prescribed Authority who, after making such enquiries as he considers necessary, shall give its decision within a period not exceeding fifteen days from the date of receipt of the objections or suggestions from the delimitation officer. (4) The delimitation officer shall make such amendments, alterations or modifications in the preliminary list published under sub-section (2) as may be required by any decision on any objection or suggestion given by the prescribed Authority under sub-section (3) and may also make such other amendments, alterations or modifications in the said list as may be necessary for correcting any error or omission. (5) After making amendments, alterations or modifications, if any, under sub-section (4), the delimitation officer shall publish at his office and at the office of the Paurashava and at such other place or places as he considers necessary the final list of wards, specifying the areas included in such ward and shall forward attested copies thereof to the Prescribed Authority who shall publish the list of wards in the official Gazette.

⁴[ 21A. For the purpose of election to the reserved seats, the delimitation officer shall simultaneously cause the number of wards delimited under section 21 to be regrouped into one-third of wards determined under sub-section (1) of section 19 following the procedure laid down in section 21.]

⁵[22. (1) There shall be an electoral roll for each ward to be prepared by the Election Commission. (2) A person shall be entitled to be enrolled on the electoral roll for a ward if he-(a) is a citizen of Bangladesh;(b) is not less than eighteen years of age;(c) does not stand declared by a competent Court to be of unsound mind; and(d) is or is deemed to be a resident of that ward.]

23. Every person whose name is for the time being entered in the electoral roll of a ward shall be entitled to vote at an election of an elected commissioner for that ward and at an election of Chairman of the Paurashava within the jurisdiction of which the ward is situated.

24. (1) There shall be ⁷[* * *] such number of elected commissioners from each ward in a municipality as the Government may determine. (2) A general election of Chairman and ⁸[* * *] commissioners of a Paurashava shall be held- (a) for the purpose of constituting the Paurashava under section 5, as soon as may be after the commencement of this Ordinance; and ⁹[(b) for the purpose of reconstituting the Paurashava after the expiration of the term of the Paurashava, within the period of one hundred eighty days ¹⁰[after its] expiration; and (c) for the purpose of reconstituting the Paurashava after the expiration of the period of supersession of the Paurashava, if any, before such expiration: Provided that the persons elected at a general election under clause (b) or (c) shall not enter upon office as chairman or commissioner of the Paurashava except after the expiration of the term of the Paurashava or the period of supersession of the Paurashava, as the case may be.] ¹¹[(3) In the case of a newly created Paurashava, where no election is held, the election for constituting it shall be held- (a) within one hundred and eighty days form the date of coming into force of this Act; (b) within one hundred and eighty days from the date of creation of the Paurashava.]

25. All elections of Chairman and ¹²[Commissioners ¹³[* * *]] of a Paurashava shall be organised, held and conducted by the Election Commission in accordance with the rules, and such rules may provide for all or any of the following matters, namely:-(a) the appointment of returning officers, assistant returning officers, presiding officers and polling officers for the conduct of election, and powers and duties of such officers;(b) the nomination of candidates, objections to nominations and scrutiny of nominations;(c) the deposits to be made by candidates and the circumstances under which such deposits may be refunded to candidates or forfeited to the Paurashava;(d) the withdrawal of candidature;(e) the appointment of agents of candidates;(f) the procedure in contested and uncontested elections;(g) the date, time and place for poll and other matters relating to the conduct of elections;(h) the manner in which votes are to be given;(i) the scrutiny and counting of votes, the declaration of the result and the procedure to be followed in case of equality of votes;(j) the custody and disposal of ballot papers and other papers relating to elections;(k) the circumstances under which polls may be suspended and fresh polls may be held;(l) the election expenses;(m) the corrupt or illegal practices and other election offences and penalties therefore; and(n) any other matter connected with or incidental to elections.

26. The names of all persons elected as Chairman or ¹⁶[Commissioner ¹⁷[* * *]] of a Paurashava shall, as soon as may be after such election, be published in the official Gazette by the Election Commission.

26A. [Exception.- Inserted by section 4 of the Paurashava (Amendment) Ordinance, 1977 (Ordinance No. XXX of 1977) which was omitted by section 8 of the Paurashava (Second Amendment) Ordinance, 1984 (LXIII of 1984).]