Search panel suggests 10 names for next Election Commission

The search committee has finalised 10 names towards the constitution of the next Election Commission.

The panel members arrived at the Bangabhaban to submit their suggestions to President Md Abdul Hamid on Monday.

“The names will not be revealed before they are submitted to the president,” Cabinet Division Additional Secretary Abdul Wadud said after the six-member panel met in the Judges’ Lounge at the Supreme Court.

The next Election Commission will have no more than five members, including a chief election commissioner.

The search panel headed by Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain finalised the 10 names from a list of 20 during its meeting from 4pm to 6pm.

Accompanied by Cabinet Secretary Mohammad Shafiul Alam, the panel members reached the president’s official residence at 6:30pm to hand in the suggestions.

The Cabinet Division provided secretarial aid to the panel in the course of its work.

"The panel has finalised the names and the report within the scheduled time. The list may contain names recommended by different political parties," said Wadud.

The president will pick four of the ten individuals for the positions of election commissioners and another to head the Election Commission as chief election commissioner. 

Officials hinted that the search committee would recommend former secretaries who joined service after liberation for the office of CEC.

After reports appeared in the media that the committee would be recommending government officials KM Nurul Huda of the 1973 batch and Ali Imam Majumder of the 1977 batch, the two told bdnews24.com that they had  received phone calls from the Cabinet Division.

Huda, who retired as secretary after being made an officer on special duty (OSD), said, "They did not mention any post. I will join only if I am appointed CEC, not election commissioner."

Huda, hailing from Patuakhali, worked as the chief executive of Dhaka City Corporation. He was also joint secretary and additional secretary for the Ministry of Environment and Forests and the Parliament Secretariat, respectively.

Ali Imam Majumder, who hails from Comilla, was appointed Cabinet secretary in December 2006 during the caretaker government of Iajuddin Ahmed and held the office almost throughout the military-controlled government's regime.