CEC looks to make history by organising ‘different’ elections

Chief Election Commission KM Nurul Huda has said he believes the parliamentary elections will be different from all the polls in the past considering the circumstances.

He hopes the system of elections under the ruling party will get a ‘stable’ shape if the next polls can be held successfully with all the parties, and it will ‘make history’.  

“A new history will be made through you,” he told the returning officers in Dhaka on Tuesday while briefing them on electoral laws ahead of the ballot slated for Dec 30.

“Because if this election is successfully held, then all polls will be conducted with the ruling party in power and without the dissolution of parliament. A stable condition will be created,” he said.   

“The circumstances of the election this year are truly different. Elections had been held with the presidential government, military-controlled one or caretaker. But this time the (elected) government will be in power,” he said.

“You can say that the 2014 election was held under the government. But not all the parties had joined that election,” the CEC explained.

The ruling Awami League’s rivals claim fair polls cannot be held with Sheikh Hasina as the prime minister.

The BNP and its allies fear the ruling party will influence election officials, law enforcers and local administrations if the election is not held with a nonpartisan government in power.

The CEC warned the returning officers against any action that can make the election questionable.

“We must present an acceptable election to the country. And you bear the utmost responsibility for this,” he said.

He also suggested using wit to ensure fair elections. Maintaining good relations with the candidates and the political parties, irrespective of their position, would make the returning officers’ work easier, he suggested.

As many 66 returning officers attended the briefing. They included deputy commissioners from 64 districts and the divisional commissioners of Dhaka and Chattogram.

NO PROTOCOL FOR MINISTERS  

EC spokesman SM Asaduzzaman told reporters that the ministers will not be able to use protocol while campaigning for candidates before the election.

“They will face action if they violate this ban,” he added.

The EC told the returning officers in the briefing that the MPs, including ministers, and other VVIPs will only enjoy security facilities, not protocol, during the campaign.

Asaduzzaman also warned that the aspirants will face action if they do not remove posters, banners, billboards and other means of publicity within Wednesday.

The army will be deployed to provide EC officials with technical help at the polling stations with electronic voting machines or EVMs, Election Commissioner Rafiqul Islam said.

CEC Huda had earlier said EVMs would be used at some places in the urban areas in the next election.