Parties will need to change their constitutions to put up candidates for local polls

Though the government has taken steps to hold local government elections on party lines, political parties are yet to have the provision in their own constitutions to nominate candidates for local polls.

Which means the parties will have to make the necessary changes in their constitution before the municipality elections in December and the subsequent Union Parishad polls.

The Cabinet cleared a proposal to amend the electoral law on Monday. An ordinance will have to be promulgated after the amendments are vetted in order to hold the upcoming municipality elections on party lines.

Until now, the elections to the Upazila Parishads, city corporations, municipalities, and Union Parishads were held without political parties contesting directly.

The parties could, at the most, only back a candidate.

However, they field candidates for parliamentary elections and the process of nominating a candidate is defined in their charters.

But their organisational constitutions have nothing on nominating candidates for local government polls.

For national elections, ruling Awami League picks candidates through its Parliamentary Board following recommendations of its local units. The process is defined in the Section 27 of the party’s constitution.

Awami League Advisory Council Member Yusuf Hossain Humayun said ‘little’ changes would be made in the charter now to nominate candidates for local government polls as well.

“The Working Committee will certainly discuss the organisational issues after the amended Local Government Act is passed. We’ll certainly introduce minor changes to the constitution if necessary. Then the amendment will be passed in a council,” he said.

He foresaw no complications in adapting the party charter.

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BNP, which boycotted the last general election but took part in the city corporation polls, is yet to announce its decision over the upcoming municipality polls.

The party, however, has protested the amendment to the law to hold local polls on party lines.

Asked about changing the party’s charter, BNP Standing Committee Member Mahbubur Rahman told bdnews24.com, “We’ll do whatever is needed at an appropriate time.”

“We believe in democracy and election. We’ll take part in the polls. Let’s see what the government finally does,” he added.

Protesting the move to amend the law, he said all parties should have been consulted on the issue.

Jatiya Party, which is playing the role of Opposition in the BNP-less Parliament, will also have to change its charter to nominate candidates for local government polls.

There are 40 parties registered with the Election Commission. After the registration process started in 2008, the parties took part in the ninth parliamentary election with amended charters.

They submitted the changed charters after the election.

EC’s legal wing Joint Secretary Md Shahjahan said the parties can submit the amended charters after the polls also this time, too.

“They can seek time to make changes in their constitution after the amendment of the law,” he said.