Independent EC secretariat within 20 days, says CEC

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FARIDPUR, Aug 23 (UNB): Reassuring general election within the timeline, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) ATM Shamsul Huda Thursday said the Election Commission (EC) would make arrangement so that black-money holders wouldn't be eligible to participate in the polls.
"Election will be held by the end of 2008. This time around, nomination-business won't be allowed like in the past. Those who love the country and party can only take part in the national elections," he said.
The CEC told an opinion-exchange meeting on formulation of voter list with photograph at the River Research Institute Auditorium here Thursday afternoon that the EC was formulating law to this effect in the changed situation.
Huda said the EC is now fully independent and the EC secretariat would come out of the control of Prime Minister's Office (PMO) over the next 15-20 days, as part of the ongoing reforms launched by the interim regime.
About inviting political parties to dialogues on reform of electoral rules, the CEC said there are around 170 parties in the country and it would not be possible to talk with all of them. The EC will sit with those who had representation in parliament in the past.
The CEC had a veiled word of criticism of politicians' lust for power that had led to the recent crisis and the January changeover in the political scenes.
"Leaders of our country's political parties don't want to stay out of power for long. But they would have to understand that we don't want to see a repeat of such unwarranted happenings which took place in the past over voters' list," he said.
The CEC observed that holding patience is imperative for this reason.
"We have to wait for getting anything better," he said.
In this context, he asserted that his office was fully impartial and acting candidly for a change for the better.
He disclosed that a person became voter from 2-3 places in the past and made it clear that there wouldn't remain such scope this time around.
Faridpur Deputy Commissioner Yaha Yeah presided over the meeting. Brig Gen Imamuzzaman, Police Super Kusum Dewan, Faridpur army-in-charge Maj Anisur Rahman, Gen Sazedul Quaiyum Dulal and Faridpur Election Officer Pori Siddique were, among others, present.
The meeting was informed that work on the new voters' list would begin in Faridpur on September 25 and continue till July 4 next year.