Election Commission ‘firm’ to keep municipal polls free and fair

The Election Commission has taken a ‘firm’ stance to hold a free and fair municipal election by taking lessons from irregularities in the previous polls, a commissioner has said.

Moinul Hoque Chowdhurybdnews24.com
Published : 1 Dec 2015, 06:57 PM
Updated : 1 Dec 2015, 06:58 PM

Md Shah Nawaz warned on Tuesday they woud accept no irregularities in the municipal polls.

The current EC, formed in 2012, organised a national election on Jan 5, 2014. It also held polls to Upazilas and three city corporations in Dhaka and Chittagong.
 
The BNP did not take part in the national election. It backed candidates in the polls to Upazilas and city corporations, but boycotted the civic polls midway through the voting, alleging rigging.

Irregularities in the city corporation polls had also been reported by the media.

Election Commissioner Shah Nawaz claimed most of the elections the current commission held were fair.

“There were some irregularities and we have admitted that. From those experiences, we will not spare anyone over irregularities,” he said.

He also urged the parties to cooperate with it in holding a free and fair election to 235 municipalities on Dec 30.

For the first time in Bangladesh, election to a local government body is going to be held on party lines.

The mayor candidates of the municipal elections will be able to fight in the balloting with the nomination and symbol of their party.