EC orders Whip Atik to leave Sherpur constituency for breaching UP polls code

The Election Commission (EC) has ordered Sherpur-1 Awami League MP and a Whip in Parliament Md Atiur Rahman Atik to leave the constituency for reportedly breaching the Union Parishad electoral code of conduct.

He will have to stay out of district until the election ends, says the EC, which had also ordered the withdrawal of the Sherpur Sadar police OC on Thursday.

 

EC Deputy Secretary Farhad Ahmed Khan said Atik was ordered to leave in the interest of fair polls on Saturday.

 

“The letter in this regard has already been sent to the returning officer concerned and the MP,” he told bdnews24.com on Friday.

 

Sherpur election officer Md Mokhlesur Rahman confirmed having received the letter.

 

He told bdnews24.com that ruling party lawmaker Atik, on May 3, had sought votes from the locals for Awami League chairman candidate Awladul Islam at Gazirkhamar Union in violation of the code of conduct.

 

He said the EC took action after a national daily ran a report on Wednesday along with photos.

On Saturday, 3,245 chairman candidates will contest in 725 Unions in the fourth of the six-phase UP polls.

 

The EC on Thursday suspended voting in 16 Unions in Rajshahi’s Bagmara Upazila following allegations that Rajshahi-4 Awami League MP Enamul Haque was trying to influence the voters.

 

Haque was also show-caused over the reported breach of the electoral poll code of conduct.

 

The EC on the same day also told the inspector general of police to remove the Sherpur Sadar police OC.