The Election Commission (EC) has revised the schedule for Gazipur City Corporation polls and set June 26 for voting, which was postponed earlier following a writ petition.

As per the revised schedule, electioneering will resume on June 18 after the Eid-ul-Fitr.

EC Secretary Helal Uddin Ahmed announced the election schedule at a press conference yesterday afternoon.

As per an earlier schedule announced by the EC on March 31, the GCC election was scheduled to be held on May 15. But a sudden three-month stay on the polls by a High Court bench, in response to a writ petition, forced the commission to postpone the election.

A four-member bench of the Supreme Court headed by Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain on May 10 scrapped the bar on the city election following separate petitions filed by the EC and the mayoral candidates of both Awami League and BNP.

The SC stayed the HC order for an indefinite period and also asked the EC to hold the polls by June 28 after Chief Election Commissioner KM Nurul Huda on Wednesday spoke about difficulties in holding the polls as per schedule.

Earlier on May 6, the High  Court stayed the polls for three months following a writ petition challenging inclusion of six mouzas of a union in the city and the polls schedule.

Talking to the Gazipur Correspondent, BNP's mayor candidate Hasan Uddin Sarker expressed his gratitude towards the EC for its decision.

Asking the commission to  ensure a level-playing field, he said, "If the Election Commission issues a bar on holding mass campaign during Ramadan, I wish such bars will be applicable for both the candidates."

His rival, ruling Awami League candidate Jahangir Alam, however said he would begin formal mass campaign on June 18.

"The festive mood of election has returned to Gazipur," he observed.

The EC and the candidates from the AL and BNP -- frontrunners for the mayoral post -- filed three appeals with the SC against the HC's postponement order.

The electioneering that began on April 24 was also suspended 10 days before the voting.