Lifting ban on politics clears path to polls: CEC

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The Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Monday said the government decision to allow indoor politics removed all barriers to implementing the roadmap to the polls by 2008, reports bdnews24.com.
"Now we see a clear road ahead. We will complete election by December next year. However, if we can complete the voter list with photographs earlier than the deadline, election can even be held in October," ATM Shamsul Huda told reporters at his office in the city.
"We think by lifting the ban on indoor politics the government has taken a right and timely decision. If the ban was not withdrawn, there would have been problems in implementing the roadmap."
He said the Election Commission (EC) was going to sit in a series of meetings with political parties from Wednesday (tomorrow) to discuss amendments to the election laws.
Claiming the EC was more confident than ever of implementing the roadmap, he said, "Now a nice environment has been created. The political parties have also welcomed the government decision."
On whether splits in some political parties would have any bearings on the roadmap, Huda said: "The making and unmaking of political parties are not our concern. They will resolve the tension prevailing among them.
"The Election Commission thinks the internal rifts will be closed before it sits with the two major parties in November."
He sought cooperation of the political parties in the roadmap implementation.
The CEC said voter lists with photographs were being prepared in 30 areas and move was on to buy necessary equipment including laptop computers.
He told the media that election officials had been adequately trained.
The other two election commissioners, Muhammad Sohul Hossain and M Sakhawat Hossain, also expressed satisfaction at the restoration of indoor politics.
They expressed the hope that political parties would give honest opinions about reforms to the election law to help quicken election work.