EC serves show-cause notices on Manjur, Nasir and Solaiman for violation of poll code

The Election Commission has served show-cause notices on three Chittagong City Corporation mayor contenders for violating the electoral code of conduct.

They are Awami League-supported aspirant AJM Nasir Uddin, BNP-backed M Manjur Alam and Jatiya Party-supported Solaiman Alam Sheth.
 
They had been asked to give their reply to the notice slapped on them for kick-starting campaigning 21 days before the voting, CCC election Returning Officer Abdul Baten told bdnews24.com on Monday.
 
The three aspirants, who have been accusing each other of violating the rules, had been asked to explain their actions within seven days, he said.
 
Manjur, who resigned from mayor’s office only recently to seek re-election, got the notice for inaugurating his election office in presence of political leaders on Mar 26, before the Election Commission allowed campaigns.

BNP Vice-Chairman Abdullah Al Noman was one of the leaders present on that night. He is also the head of Manjur’s election steering committee.

Nasir lodged a complaint in writing against Manjur to the returning officer on Saturday.

But the Awami League leader himself will have to clarify why he held  meeting at a rented community centre, campaigned on Mar 24 and why his posters are already on display at different areas in the port city.

Awami League leaders Engineer Mosharraf Hossain, who also holds a berth in the Cabinet, and Hasan Mahmud had urged all to vote for Nasir and pledged development of the city at the Mar 24 gathering.

BNP leader Noman lodged the complaint on Sunday.

Returning Officer Baten said Nasir’s posters on display and meeting at the rented community centre where political leaders made political pledges were a clear violation of the code of conduct.

Jatiya Party’s Solaiman has been served the notice for inaugurating his election office before Apr 8.

EC Secretary Md Sirajul Islam on Monday told reporters that the candidates in the three city corporations – Chittagong, Dhaka South and Dhaka North - could hit the campaign trail on Apr 8.

The commission will assign poll logo to the candidates in Dhaka and Chittagong on Apr 10.

Abdul Baten told reporters, “You (journalists) have been asking, but we kept quiet. But the candidates are now under our jurisdiction after they submitted the nominations.”

“Now we will take steps in line with the law.”

He said procedures were underway to serve show-cause notices on several councillor aspirants in the port city.

Thirteen aspirants have filed nomination papers for the office of mayor, 288 for councillor and 71 others for reserved ward.