DHAKA, Dec 28, 2023 (BSS) - The Election Commission (EC) today gave approval to 20,773 local observers from 84 organisations to monitor the next general elections to be held on January 7 in 2024.

"Of the total number, 517 local observers from 40 organisations have taken approval centrally," EC Secretariat director (public relations) Shariful Alam told BSS.

He said the rest have taken approval from returning officers across the country. Those who have taken approval centrally can monitor polling in constituencies of their choosing across the country, Alam added.

Those who have taken approval from returning officers can only monitor the elections in the districts for which they have taken clearance.

Based on the Representation of the People Order, the EC developed a policy for selecting local election observers.

 The registration of local observers started before the 9th parliamentary elections in 2008.