AL for simplification of EC rules for parties' registration

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Key leaders of Awami League (AL) and Sammayabadi Dal Wednesday urged the caretaker government to lift the state of emergency at a realistic time instead of lifting it two months ahead of each election, reports UNB.
CEC ATM Shamsul Hud said Tuesday that the emergency should be lifted at least two months before election from places where it is scheduled to be held.
Reacting to the CEC's observation, the leaders said the emergency should be lifted earlier so the political parties could begin their political activities much ahead of the polls.
Emerging from a meeting with Sammayabadi Dal leaders, AL presidium member Tofail Ahmed told reporters that they do not support any 'controlling attempt' by the EC in the name of registration of the political parties.
Tofail demanded simplification of the EC's rules for the registration of political parties, or else, he said many political parties would not be able to be registered if these rules were passed.
The bilateral meeting between AL and Sammayabadi Dal was held at the Gulshan residence of AL acting President Zillur Rahman who presided over it.
The meeting was part of a series of talks among allies of the AL-led 14-party combine to work out common and identical proposals for the EC-sponsored dialogue on electoral reforms.
The AL leader said the meeting decided that they would cooperate with the Election Commission (EC) in implementing its announced roadmap but said the caretaker government and the EC should be more attentive to its implementation.
Talking to the reporters, Sammayabadi Dal general secretary Dilip Barua said EC should take appropriate steps so that the religion-based political parties cannot participate in the election because religion-based politics divides the nation.