Chief Election Commissioner KM Nurul Huda yesterday requested the polling agents of the mayor and ward councillor candidates not to leave the polling centres even if they were asked to do so.

He also urged the agents to stay inside the polling booths and discharge their duties with responsibility.

The CEC was briefing reporters after a meeting with the election commissioners at the Nirbachon Bhaban in the capital’s Sher-e-Bangla Nagar. The meeting discussed the Election Commission’s last-minute preparations for Dhaka city polls.

Huda said if the polling agents faced any problems, they would take assistance from the returning officers, and assistant returning officers of their respective polling centres.

“If their [polling agents’] complaints are not addressed by the presiding officers and other polling officials concerned, they will immediately inform the returning officer about it.”

He said although there was no chance of any such incident happening, the agents could also take assistance from the magistrates and members of the law enforcement agencies, if they were forced to leave the polling booths.