The Election Commission was not unanimous in its decision to amend the ‘Code of Conduct’ to allow MPs to participate in local level election campaign.
Published : 28 May 2018, 09:46 AM
One of the five election commissioners issued a ‘note of dissent’ in this regard, but the amendment proposal was approved as the majority of the commissioners supported it, said Election Commission Secretary Helaluddin Ahmed.
Election Commissioner Mahbub Talukdar issued the ‘note of dissent’ against MPs participation in election campaign, he told bdnews24.com on Sunday.
Mahbub Talukdar had warned the EC that allowing MPs to participate in election campaign will put an end to EC’s efforts to create a level playing field for everyone, drawing flak from all quarters.
Election monitors also expressed the same concern after the EC had approved the proposal of an amendment to the ‘Local Government (City Corporation) Code of Conduct-2016’ on Thursday.
The EC is already facing an image crisis after its inaction in preventing the irregularities in the Khulna City Corporation election, which will only intensify if the Code of Conduct gets amended, Professor Tofael Ahmed, a member of the defunct Local Government Commission told bdnews24.com.
“I do not want to talk about it; EC has already taken its decision,” said commissioner Mahbub Talukdar when asked about his ‘note of dissent.’
“I disagreed on allowing MPs to participate in city corporation election campaigns. I believe it will damage the balance between the ruling party and the opposition, putting an end to the effort of creating a level playing field,” said the ‘note of dissent’ read out by Election Commissioner Mahbub Talukdar in a commission meeting.
He also noted that the former Election Commission headed by Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmad had to step back from allowing MPs to participate in city corporation election campaign due to severe criticism from different quarters.
“MPs should not be excluded from the list of ‘very important persons’ as they play an important role at local level in the political context of Bangladesh. The reality is MPs have the ultimate power in their constituency; therefore, local administration and law enforcement agents won’t be able to perform their duties neutrally,” his note said.
“It is unprecedented incident how the EC hurried to amend the Code of Conduct to exclude MPs from the list of ‘very important persons’ only to fulfil the demands of a certain political party and not due to its own need. We will be criticised by all quarters; so far no one has opined supporting the amendment.”
He remarked that MPs’ presence in local government election will never make for proper, neutral and acceptable elections.
The Awami League had demanded the Code of Conduct be amended as it does not permit the MPs to take part in election campaign at present.
The ruling party members said they are unable to take part in city corporation election campaign while BNP leaders are participating as they are not parliament members, causing a disparity.
BNP leaders on the other hand, said the EC was being ‘loyal to the government’ and took the initiative of amending Code of Conduct only to ‘please’ them.
They demanded the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner KM Nurul Huda after the Code of Conduct amendment was approved.
The amendment to the Code of Conduct will be published as gazette after vetting of the Law Ministry, enabling the MPs to take part in city corporation election campaign.