80pc voters turnout sans major complaints
Wednesday, 6 August 2008
Chief Election Commissioner Dr ATM Shamsul Huda Tuesday said the Commission has successfully completed the elections to four City Corporations and nine municipalities with average 80 per cent voter turnout without any major complaints.
"There's some 80 per cent of voter turnout in the last (Monday's) elections. I don't think anybody can complain about it. So, in this respect, we are successful," he told reporters at the EC secretariat in the afternoon, replying to a query.
The CEC admitted that some voters failed to cast their votes in certain areas. "There were some problems in the management that needs to be corrected," he said, adding that the Commission has the intention to achieve better quality in the future elections through improved standard of management.
He said the EC would be pleased to rectify the mistakes found in the just concluded local body elections.
"If we can correct the mistakes found in the recent local body polls; the EC will be able to hold the next elections, including parliamentary polls, in a credible manner."
Dr Huda, on behalf of the Election Commission, apologised to those eligible voters who could not cast votes due to some unexpected reasons and requested them to communicate with the Commission to help removing the problems in the next elections.
"I watched on TV (television) that some voters could not cast votes. I, on behalf of the EC, apologise to them," he said.
There would be inquiry to find out the reasons for this so that there was no repetition of such lapses, he said.
About the honest and competent candidates, the CEC said: "We can merely wish for good candidates, but the people of the country will have to come forward."
He said many people had expected that new faces would come through these elections, but again the old politicians were elected. "People voted those whom they thought good and competent and they were elected. Ultimately, we've to accept the people's verdict."
About the allegations in the mayoral election in Barisal City Corporation, he said some allegations are likely from places where the competition is acute. "There was hard competition among the four candidates in Barisal," he added.
"There's some 80 per cent of voter turnout in the last (Monday's) elections. I don't think anybody can complain about it. So, in this respect, we are successful," he told reporters at the EC secretariat in the afternoon, replying to a query.
The CEC admitted that some voters failed to cast their votes in certain areas. "There were some problems in the management that needs to be corrected," he said, adding that the Commission has the intention to achieve better quality in the future elections through improved standard of management.
He said the EC would be pleased to rectify the mistakes found in the just concluded local body elections.
"If we can correct the mistakes found in the recent local body polls; the EC will be able to hold the next elections, including parliamentary polls, in a credible manner."
Dr Huda, on behalf of the Election Commission, apologised to those eligible voters who could not cast votes due to some unexpected reasons and requested them to communicate with the Commission to help removing the problems in the next elections.
"I watched on TV (television) that some voters could not cast votes. I, on behalf of the EC, apologise to them," he said.
There would be inquiry to find out the reasons for this so that there was no repetition of such lapses, he said.
About the honest and competent candidates, the CEC said: "We can merely wish for good candidates, but the people of the country will have to come forward."
He said many people had expected that new faces would come through these elections, but again the old politicians were elected. "People voted those whom they thought good and competent and they were elected. Ultimately, we've to accept the people's verdict."
About the allegations in the mayoral election in Barisal City Corporation, he said some allegations are likely from places where the competition is acute. "There was hard competition among the four candidates in Barisal," he added.