EC urges political parties to accept election results

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FE Report
Chief election observer of the European Union (EU) Alexander Graf Lambsdorff has urged all political parties to accept polls result if it comes in a free, fair and credible manner.
"I hope the political parties will be fair and respectful to the results and be positive and constructive in demonstrating their reactions," he said at a meet-the-reporters programme organised by Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU) in its conference room Saturday.
He said allegations about vote fraud and rejection of results remained one of the major causes of the past crisis that had led to the declaration of emergency and cancellation of the general election in January last year.
"People expect that the losing side, whoever it be, accept the results. However, in the next elections it might be the winner," said the chief of the EU Election Observation Mission (EOM) that has been monitoring the polls process.
Newly elected DRU president Shamim Ahmad presided over the session, while general secretary Pathik Shaha delivered the address of welcome.
About allegations by some political parties against the Election Commission (EC), the EU election observer chief urged them to substantiate their allegations and doubts over the impartiality of the EC or conspiracies to foil the December 29 elections with factual evidence and documents.
He also invited the parties to share their allegations with evidence with the EU EOM so that they could follow them up with the Election Commission.
Mr Lambsdorff also called upon the political parties to refrain from making such allegations without evidence.
"Such unsubstantiated allegations will only discredit the election administration,'' he cautioned.
The EU EOM chief termed the present security situation in the country as conducive to holding a free, fair and credible election on December 29.
Mr Lambsdorff, also a member of the European Parliament, welcomed the lifting of the state of emergency as a positive step to create a congenial climate for electioneering by political parties without any restrictions.
The army deployment ahead of the elections for maintaining law and order does not contradict the election process in line with the international standards, he said.
"I found no one expressing fear in this connection," he added.
Asked about his comment on reinstatement of candidates by courts at the last moments, Lambsdorff said the courts being independent are to address the grievances of individuals and at the same time they need to take into account the interest of the society at large.
About the EOM's future activities Mr Lambsdorff said it would monitor voting, counting and transmission of results from various centres and announcement of official results and make a primary statement on December 31 on the credibility of the elections.
Some 150 EU election observers would be deployed on the polling day and they will visit different polling stations across the country. The EU core team and long-term observers are already working across the country, he said adding, short-term observers will arrive in Dhaka on December 24 next.
Local representatives would help gather information from remote areas, he added.