Dhaka, May 19 (BDNEWS) - The Election Commission (EC) has prepared a five–point proposal regarding reform in the commission.
It will submit the proposals to the government Saturday, a day before the tenure of Chief Election Commissioner MA Syed expires.
"We, the election commission, have prepared and approved a five point proposal regarding reform in the commission and will submit it to the government Saturday," CEC Syed told journalists at his office Thursday.
The CEC will meet president Prof Iaujuddin Ahmed at 11.30am Saturday and will submit the reform proposal, EC sources said.
The proposals included introduction of electronic voting machine, legal status of electronic voting system, legal status of deployment of army in the local government election, legal status of electoral enquiry committees, establishing an independent EC secretariat and introduction of BCS (election) cadre.
Election Commissioner MM Munsef Ali however disagreed with the CEC over the formal approval of the proposal.
He said that fifth point on EC secretariat and BCS (election) cadre of the proposal was not discussed in the commission meeting.
"We discussed the first four points in a meeting and, in principle, came into consensus over the proposals. But we are yet to put our signature on the minutes," he said.
Moreover, Munsef Ali, there was no discussion over the fifth point of the proposal -- establishing an EC secretariat and BCS election cadre.
Commissioner AK Mohammad Ali also attended the meeting that discussed the proposals. Election Commissioner Shafiur Rahman did not join the meeting although he was in his office.
When asked about the acceptance of opposition's proposal regarding reform in the commission, CEC said: "Anybody can suggest.... they also can give suggestion over the reform.... we can learn from each other."
Meanwhile, a delegation of Bikalpa Dhara Bangladesh (BDB) led by its secretary general Major (rtd) Abdul Mannan met with the CEC at his office Thursday morning.
During the hour-long meeting, he discussed over the EC reform proposals and submitted his party's 12 point recommendations to the CEC to incorporate in the EC suggestions.
Terming the Dhaka-10 by election a 'shameful chapter in the EC history,' Abdul Mannan told the CEC to reveal the truth to the nation at the time of his departure.
BDNEWS/1912 hrs
