BNP demands EC’s resignation for move to enrol U-18 youths

Terming unlawful, motivated and whimsical the Election Commission's (EC) move to enroll under-18 youths in the voter list, the BNP on Monday demanded resignation of the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and other EC members for what it termed breach of their oath by indulging in illegal activities, reports UNB.
Addressing a press briefing at BNP's Nayapaltan central office, party spokesman Asaduzzaman Ripon also warned that the participation of opposition parties in any future polls would be uncertain, if the current commission remained there in place.
"We're observing with concern that an incompetent, worthless, failed and naughtiest Election Commission has taken a whimsical move to register 15-17 years-old youths while updating the voter list ahead of elections in more than 300 municipalities and union councils," he said.
The BNP leader further said, "As per the country's existing law and the EC's rules, there's no scope for registering any citizen aged less than 18 in the voter roll. So, it's an unlawful action of the EC."
He, on behalf of his party, urged the EC to immediately stop unlawful registration of the under-18 youths.
On July 25 the Commission began the voter list updating process across the country with data collection of possible voters in 189 upazilas and thanas in the first phase.
The Commission also announced registering the youths aged 16-17 years during the three-phase data collection period for updating the country's voter list.
EC Secretary Md Sirazul Islam on July 2 briefed reporters about the schedules of data collection, saying that they estimated about 2.4 million fresh voters would be registered and they would be added to the country's existing 96.2 million voters, while 4.8 million young citizens aged less than 18 years would also be registered.
Ripon said their party had many reasons to consider the EC's move to register immature citizens as a motivated one as it earlier in all polls tried to ensure the victory of the ruling party-blessed candidates by any means.
The BNP leader said they feared the move might have been taken to ensure the victory of the ruling party-backed candidates in the upcoming municipality and union council polls.
"The Commission wouldn't have taken the move to register the citizens below 18, had it not have had any evil intention behind the voter list updating ahead of the local body polls. It's not the duty of a statutory body to engage in unlawful acts. By doing this they breached their oath," he observed.
"BNP demands the Chief Election Commissioner and all other members of the commission resign voluntarily for breaching their oath. If they don't do that, we'll urge the President to impeach them exercising his power bestowed upon him as per the constitutional provision," Ripon added.