Dhaka, Jan. 3 -- Election Commission (EC) officials have clarified how voters can cast their ballot if someone else has already voted in their name or if a candidate or polling agent challenges their identity.

In such cases, the EC allows voting through "tendered ballot papers" or "challenged ballot papers."

Tendered votes, however, are not counted and are often referred to as "consolation votes."

"These are sealed by the presiding officer in a separate envelope and submitted as out-of-count votes," said Election Commissioner Md Anwarul Islam Sarker.

He, however, does not favour branding "tendered votes" as "consolation votes".

According to Article 32(1) of the RPO, if a person learns that another has already voted in their name, the...