Article 124 Parliament makes election law
Parliament may make provision as to elections
The detailed rules on nominations, campaign spending, party registration and vote counting all come from laws made under this Article. Those rules decide how fair and competitive an election really is.
MPs consider a bill changing, for example, the rules on nomination deposits, campaign spending or the use of electronic voting machines. Article 124 gives Parliament the power to legislate on all matters relating to or connected with elections to Parliament, including delimitation and electoral rolls.
The bill must be consistent with the Constitution itself. It cannot create separate electoral rolls, deny adult franchise or strip the Election Commission of its independence, because those protections in Articles 118, 121 and 122 sit above any ordinary law.
Once the bill is passed and assented to, the Election Commission makes rules and issues guidance under the new law. It then applies them to candidates, political parties and polling officers at the next election, and its decisions can be tested in court.
In plain English
How Article 124 works
Article 124 gives Parliament the power to make laws on everything connected with parliamentary elections. That includes drawing constituency boundaries, preparing voter lists, holding elections and any other matter needed to make sure Parliament is properly formed. Such laws must stay within the Constitution, so they cannot, for example, override the Election Commission's independence or the rule of one electoral roll per constituency. The main laws made under this power include the Representation of the People Order 1972, the Electoral Rolls Act and the Delimitation of Constituencies Act.
In practice
Most election law in Bangladesh sits in the Representation of the People Order 1972, which has been amended many times, along with statutes on electoral rolls and delimitation. While Parliament stood dissolved between August 2024 and February 2026, changes to election law were made by ordinances of the President, which Article 93 allows when Parliament is not in session. The Article 125 bar on challenging delimitation laws limits court review of how boundaries are drawn under these laws.
The text
What Article 124 says
[124. Subject to the provisions of this Constitution, Parliament may by law make provision with respect to all matters relating to or in connection with elections to Parliament, including the delimitation of constituencies, the preparation of electoral rolls, the holding of elections, and all other matters necessary for securing the due Constitution of Parliament.]
English text as published on the official Laws of Bangladesh website. The Bangla text is authoritative (Article 153). Where a court has changed the position, the status note above explains it.
History
Amendments
- Fourth Amendment 1975 →Substituted, as listed by Banglapedia.
- Twelfth Amendment 1991 →Substituted the whole Article, confining it to elections to Parliament.
Connected provisions
Related articles
Questions
Article 124: frequently asked questions
Which law governs parliamentary elections in Bangladesh?
The main law is the Representation of the People Order 1972, made and amended under the power in Article 124. It is supported by laws on electoral rolls and on the delimitation of constituencies, and by rules made by the Election Commission.
Can election laws be changed when Parliament is dissolved?
Yes, by ordinance. Article 93 lets the President make ordinances when Parliament is dissolved or not in session. Election law changes were made in this way before the February 2026 election, subject to later consideration by Parliament.
Sources
This guide explains the Constitution for general understanding. It is not legal advice. Constitutional reform proposals under discussion in 2026 are described as proposals until enacted.
Constitutional and writ practice
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