Two changes recommended to proposed law on formation of Election Commission

The parliamentary standing committee on the law ministry has recommended two changes to the Bill on the formation of the Election Commission.

The committee’s report will be placed in parliament on Wednesday. Its Chairman Shahiduzzaman Sarker said on Monday the changes were on the qualification and disqualification of the election commissioners.  

Law Minister Anisul Huq introduced the Chief Election Commissioner and Election Commissioner Appointment Bill 2022 in parliament on Sunday. It was forwarded to the committee for scrutiny afterwards, with a deadline to report back in seven days.

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The Bill says an individual must have at least 20 years of work experience in any important government, judicial, semi-government or private job to be recommended as an election commissioner or the chief election commissioner.

The committee suggested adding “autonomous and other jobs” to the provision.

The Bill also says a person will be disqualified from the post if they are convicted of a criminal offence and sentenced to at least two years in prison.

The standing committee suggested considering any criminal offences for moral turpitude as a disqualification, lifting the minimum two-year jail term, Shahiduzzaman said.

The “search committees” used to form the outgoing and the last commission will be legalised through the proposed new law.

Shahiduzzaman said the inclusion of such a provision does not aim to indemnify the work of the “search committees” and the commissions.

“It’s all about providing legal cover to the search panel, formed by the country’s president on the basis of a consensus. It does not provide impunity,” he said.

The Bill also includes a provision on keeping the “search committee” option open to form the next commissions.