CEC, home minister at loggerheads over plans to move NID registration

The chief election commissioner and the home minister have exchanged words over the initiative to move the National Identity Card registration work from the Election Commission to the home ministry.

Senior Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 23 June 2021, 04:16 PM
Updated : 23 June 2021, 04:16 PM

Although the government has already started the transfer process, CEC Nurul Huda stressed the need for further discussions on the issue.

"We need discussions on how the process should play out. It's not like we are moving tables and chairs. What the government decides after that is another matter."

On the other hand, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal said that all NID services were being brought under the remit of the home ministry on the advice of experts.

The Election Commission had been in charge of issuing national identity cards since its inception over a decade ago.

Despite the EC's objections, the government has recently begun the process of handing over the responsibility to the home ministry's Security Service Division. Letters are being exchanged between the Cabinet Division and the EC on the issue.

Asked about the matter on Wednesday, Huda said, "They’ve sent us a letter -- they want to move ahead with the plan. They must talk to us. There is still room for discussion. It's a big institution and this is a very complicated thing.”

According to the CEC, there is scope for further discussion even though a notice has been issued on the transfer of NID registration powers.

"We can provide the service through the skilled manpower of the EC - that is our argument. We don't know what will happen eventually."

However, Home Minister Kamal described talks surrounding the process as 'completely absurd'.

On the EC's objections, he said, "The decision to move the NID services to the home ministry was taken after deliberating on everyone's opinion. Expert advice has also been taken in this regard. ”

In mid-May, the Cabinet Division forwarded a letter from the Prime Minister’s Office to move the NID work away to the home ministry’s Security Services Division.

Objecting to the plan at the time, CEC Huda instructed officials to make a report with arguments against the move.