Bhola by-polls held in '100pc neutral manner'
Friday, 30 April 2010
Ruling out the opposition BNP's allegations of vote rigging, the Election Commission (EC) Thursday reiterated that the Bhola-3 by-election was held in a '100 per cent' free, fair and neutral manner, reports UNB.
Refraining from giving comment on the opposition's demand for the EC's resignation, Election Commissioner M Sohul Hussain said that anyone could demand resignation of anybody due to political strategy.
The Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) along with the two other commissioners held a meeting at the EC secretariat with the executive magistrates who had been deployed in the constituency during the by-election.
After the meeting, Sohul Hussein told reporters that the
Commission was informed about the overall situation from 28 magistrates who had discharged their duties on the polling day.
They informed the Commission that problems only arose in nine centres where polling was suspended, he said.
He further said that the Commission, in future, would emphasise coordination between the officers to be deployed in the polling areas to ensure fairer elections.
Replying to a question about army deployment, Hussain said army deployment would only be necessary when law-enforcing agencies like the police and the RAB failed to maintain the law-and-order situation.
Commenting on the need for a change in the country's political culture, he said the political parties should possess the mentality to accept election results, even when they went against them.
Earlier, CEC ATM Shamsul Huda alleged that a few newspapers' reports on the Bhola by-election had been downright false. As an example, he pointed out that there were only five polling centres in Char Jahiruddin union, although some newspapers had reported problems in 9 to 11 centres in the area.
He claimed that most of the people making allegations of violence were actually 'self-injured' at the constituency.
Refraining from giving comment on the opposition's demand for the EC's resignation, Election Commissioner M Sohul Hussain said that anyone could demand resignation of anybody due to political strategy.
The Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) along with the two other commissioners held a meeting at the EC secretariat with the executive magistrates who had been deployed in the constituency during the by-election.
After the meeting, Sohul Hussein told reporters that the
Commission was informed about the overall situation from 28 magistrates who had discharged their duties on the polling day.
They informed the Commission that problems only arose in nine centres where polling was suspended, he said.
He further said that the Commission, in future, would emphasise coordination between the officers to be deployed in the polling areas to ensure fairer elections.
Replying to a question about army deployment, Hussain said army deployment would only be necessary when law-enforcing agencies like the police and the RAB failed to maintain the law-and-order situation.
Commenting on the need for a change in the country's political culture, he said the political parties should possess the mentality to accept election results, even when they went against them.
Earlier, CEC ATM Shamsul Huda alleged that a few newspapers' reports on the Bhola by-election had been downright false. As an example, he pointed out that there were only five polling centres in Char Jahiruddin union, although some newspapers had reported problems in 9 to 11 centres in the area.
He claimed that most of the people making allegations of violence were actually 'self-injured' at the constituency.