EC firm about photograph on voters' list

FE Team | Published: August 14, 2007 00:00:00 | Updated: February 01, 2018 00:00:00

As the national task of voter listing formally begins today (Tuesday), the Election Commission (EC) proceeds with high conviction that there would be photographs on the voters' list whatever the circumstances may be, reports UNB.
However, the EC is yet to decide whether people who won't like taking photographs could be included in the list.
Chief Adviser to the caretaker government Fakhruddin Ahmed formally inaugurates the nationwide voter-list programme at a function in Rajshahi city today.
Meanwhile, the EC is still looking forward to sitting with the political parties to discuss the draft reform proposals on the relevant electoral laws, as part of the process of holding the stalled general elections by the end of next year.
"Photographs would have to be there, the method could be differentâ€¦ Everybody has to be identified," Election Commissioner M Sohul Hussain told reporters Monday afternoon.
"There should be photographs on the voters' list to make the election flawlessâ€¦ The rules of new law will have the direction on what to do if the figure of refusals in connection with taking photographs be large."
President Iajuddin Ahmed Thursday promulgated the new styled Electoral Rolls Ordinance 2007 clearing the way for preparing a fresh voters' list with photographs for holding election to different elective bodies, including parliament.
The old Electoral Rolls Ordinance 1982 has lost its effectiveness with the promulgation of the new law, Sohul said. "Another ordinance should have to be promulgated to legalise the national identity (ID) card."
The new law states: By issuing official gazette notification, the Election Commission can prepare voters' list under special measures for an electoral area or a voter area if preparation of a voters' list with photographs is not possible due to unavoidable circumstances.
"If such case emerges, the voters' list will be prepared using earlier method through formulating necessary rulesâ€¦ Law can't be utilised if made toughâ€¦ There should be a safety clause in any law to meet any exigencies," Sohul said in connection with the EC's special powers vested through the new law.