Former chief election commissioner (CEC) ATM Shamsul Huda has said that the names of the shortlisted persons for next EC should be published by the 'Search Committee' for public scrutiny.
Published : 18 Dec 2016, 02:13 AM
He argues that publishing the names will let the media dig out their background and thus the people will know about them. Eventually, right people can be identified to run the EC, he added.
Huda, who headed an EC considered to be the most successful, expressed his opinion at a discussion in Dhaka on Saturday, a day before President Md Abdul Hamid starts talks with the political parties to form the next EC.
The BNP will be the first party to sit with the president. It has already presented a proposal on the constitution of the next EC.
The president has initiated the talks before forming the current EC headed by Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmad. It was constituted in 2012 through a Search Committee and the president is following the same process now.
Huda thinks there had been 'weaknesses' in the process of forming the EC at that time due to 'hurriedness'.
"When we had proposed to form a search committee, our aim was that the names would be published and the investigative reporters will dig out their background," he said.
"Everyone would know who is the person and why he or she is qualified or not qualified for the posts...like the nominee doesn't have the academic qualification or has political affiliation...he can't be neutral.
"But this scrutiny unfortunately had not been taken place last time," Huda said.
He referred to an incident in neighbouring India.
"The Indian government moved to appoint a person as anti-corruption secretary. He had a case against him over coal mining licence. Manmohan Singh (the then Indian prime minister) said he knew the person very well as he had worked with him.
"But the Indian media and the opposition created such a hullabaloo that the government had to appoint someone else," the former CEC said.
"We have that chance still now, because it (formation of the new EC) will take place in February. If we know about the nominations and the media get active, we can get some good persons," he added.
Huda also opined against constitution of a large EC. "There will be possibilities of manipulation," he said.
Huda's EC had three commissioners, including him. The incumbent EC has five.