Dhaka, May 7 -- Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Habibul Awal has said the commission has taken all preparations to ensure free and impartial voting in the first phase of the upazila polls, to be held on Wednesday.

The CEC said the commission also issued an alert to avoid any kind of irregularities, according to bdnews24.com.

"Efforts are being made to prevent undue influence in local elections," Kazi Habibul Awal said at a media briefing at the Election Commission's headquarters in Dhaka on Tuesday.

"The commission will monitor the votes centrally and be on an alert on polling day. Immediate action will be taken against any complaint," he added.

On Wednesday, polls will open in 140 out of 495 Upazilas in the first phase of the electi...