Election Commissioner Mahbub Talukdar has boycotted a commission meeting after registering a complaint that he was not allowed to exercise his freedom of speech, reports bdnews24.com.
"I will not say anything about this," he told the news agency in response to a question about why he left the 36th meeting of the EC.
Talukdar left the meeting 10 minutes after it began on Monday. EC chief KM Nurul Huda presided over the meeting attended by the three other commissioners- Md Rafiqul Islam, Kabita Khanam and Shahadat Hossain Chowdhury.
Talukdar wanted to speak about the five-point proposal he put forward on October 8 for the sake of 'fair elections', but was not given an opportunity to do so, EC officials said.
The proposals included Talukdar's opinions on the role of the military during the election, ensuring a participatory election by creating a level playing field, ensuring the impartiality of the vote, increasing the EC's capability and dialogue with the government.
But he was not allowed to present them.
In a note of dissent, he wrote, "The Election Commission can in no way undermine my rights. Freedom of speech and freedom of expression are my constitutional and fundamental rights."
"In such a situation, I am giving a note of dissent against the decision of the Election Commission, and I am boycotting the commission meeting in protest."
He was shocked and surprised at not receiving an opportunity to present his speech at the meeting, said the note.
On August 30, Mahbub Talukdar walked out of the commission meeting opposing the EC's decision on amending Representation of People Order or RPO to incorporate the use of electronic voter machine or EVMs for the upcoming parliamentary election.
Mahbub Talukdar walks out of EC meeting again
FE Team | Published: October 16, 2018 00:13:04
Mahbub Talukdar walks out of EC meeting again
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