Cast your votes in secured environment, says CEC
Monday, 29 December 2008
The chief election commissioner ATM Shamsul Huda in a televised speech on Sunday evening assured the nation of all necessary preparations for a free and fair election on Monday and invited voters to apply their voting rights, reports bdnews24.com.
"I'm inviting all voters, regardless of political differences, to go to polling centres taking the opportunity of secured environment and cast their invaluable votes," the CEC said.
He mentioned three key measures: security steps, photo voter roll and translucent ballot boxes, that would ensure a free, fair and credible vote.
The top election official presented a brief review of the Election Commission's roadmap over the past two years towards the much-awaited 9th Jatiya Sangsad election.
Describing the security measures being taken by law enforcing agencies, the CEC said, "From the experience of city corporation and municipality elections last August, we're confirmed that the environment on the general election day will also be peaceful."
"I'm requesting you to go to voting centres and cast votes for two more special reasons, one is photo-included voter roll and the other is translucent ballot boxes."
With these measures, it is almost impossible to adopt unfair means in the elections, the CEC assured.
To the voters, the election chief gave some tips on how voters can cast their ballot "effectively", from knowing their respective polling centres ahead of time, having voter serial numbers ready.
He also mentioned that EC officials and government officials will discharge their election duties properly on the day and the process of announcing polls results from constituencies was secure.
Mobile phone networks will run as usual on the day, though voters will not be allowed to take mobile phone devices into the polling centres.
He assured the nation that the counting of the votes will be neutral.
Huda dubbed Dec. 29 a historic day for the country: "After a rough journey, we are now standing at a critical juncture of the nation. Only a firm confidence in democracy, can lead us to overcome all crises."
Meahwhile, another report adds: The Election Commission Sunday asked over 200 judicial magistrates earlier assigned for election duties to go back to their respective courts for usual duties.
The move came a day before the ninth parliamentary election slated for Dec 29.
The EC vested judicial powers on them through a circular on Dec 24 to discharge their duties in different constituencies across the country as per the Section 89-A of Representation of the People Order 1972.
The Commission has however assigned over 300 executive magistrates to work as mobile courts. This created resentment among the judicial magistrates earlier assigned for the job.
A number of them requesting anonymity expressed anger to bdnews24.com about the fresh move by the EC.
They said the Commission's decision is in conflict with the spirit of the judicial independence.
The behaviour of the Commission is tantamount to violation of law, constitution and the Supreme Court, said the angry judicial magistrates.
They were even provided with cars for trial of the electoral offences, sources said.
The EC sent copies of a letter of appointment signed by EC deputy secretary (election) Mihir Sarwar Morshed to different courts of the chief judicial magistrates and CMM Dhaka on Dec 27 for election duties as per the Section 89-A of the RPO 1972.
But there was no decision for administering the mobile courts in the letter, they said also mentioning that the circular asking the judicial magistrates to oversee the election-related legal proceedings in the courts conflicts the relevant section of the RPO 1972.
The law empowers the magistrates to try and sentence, on the spot, those found guilty of illegal activities including rigging in the polling areas to 2-7 years in jail and also pecuniary fines, they pointed out.
As per the new decision, the executive magistrates through mobile courts can just fine the offenders on the spot but the judicial magistrates will have wait at the courts for allegations to try and penalise the offenders - which is far from being realistic, they said.
The new move is also against the Constitution and criminal laws as the EC took the decision to appoint judicial magistrates in consultation with the Supreme Court.
Another magistrate also preferring anonymity said on Sunday afternoon that the EC decision is against the Sections 21 and 190 of the Criminal Procedure Code.
Besides, the Section 190 of the Cr. PC empowers the judicial magistrates to entertain cases beyond the areas of their jurisdictions but the Commission's surprise move has undermined them.
Asked about the issue, SC Registrar Abu Bakar Siddique and Judicial Service Association secretary general Abdul Gafur declined to comment to bdnews24.com.
"I'm inviting all voters, regardless of political differences, to go to polling centres taking the opportunity of secured environment and cast their invaluable votes," the CEC said.
He mentioned three key measures: security steps, photo voter roll and translucent ballot boxes, that would ensure a free, fair and credible vote.
The top election official presented a brief review of the Election Commission's roadmap over the past two years towards the much-awaited 9th Jatiya Sangsad election.
Describing the security measures being taken by law enforcing agencies, the CEC said, "From the experience of city corporation and municipality elections last August, we're confirmed that the environment on the general election day will also be peaceful."
"I'm requesting you to go to voting centres and cast votes for two more special reasons, one is photo-included voter roll and the other is translucent ballot boxes."
With these measures, it is almost impossible to adopt unfair means in the elections, the CEC assured.
To the voters, the election chief gave some tips on how voters can cast their ballot "effectively", from knowing their respective polling centres ahead of time, having voter serial numbers ready.
He also mentioned that EC officials and government officials will discharge their election duties properly on the day and the process of announcing polls results from constituencies was secure.
Mobile phone networks will run as usual on the day, though voters will not be allowed to take mobile phone devices into the polling centres.
He assured the nation that the counting of the votes will be neutral.
Huda dubbed Dec. 29 a historic day for the country: "After a rough journey, we are now standing at a critical juncture of the nation. Only a firm confidence in democracy, can lead us to overcome all crises."
Meahwhile, another report adds: The Election Commission Sunday asked over 200 judicial magistrates earlier assigned for election duties to go back to their respective courts for usual duties.
The move came a day before the ninth parliamentary election slated for Dec 29.
The EC vested judicial powers on them through a circular on Dec 24 to discharge their duties in different constituencies across the country as per the Section 89-A of Representation of the People Order 1972.
The Commission has however assigned over 300 executive magistrates to work as mobile courts. This created resentment among the judicial magistrates earlier assigned for the job.
A number of them requesting anonymity expressed anger to bdnews24.com about the fresh move by the EC.
They said the Commission's decision is in conflict with the spirit of the judicial independence.
The behaviour of the Commission is tantamount to violation of law, constitution and the Supreme Court, said the angry judicial magistrates.
They were even provided with cars for trial of the electoral offences, sources said.
The EC sent copies of a letter of appointment signed by EC deputy secretary (election) Mihir Sarwar Morshed to different courts of the chief judicial magistrates and CMM Dhaka on Dec 27 for election duties as per the Section 89-A of the RPO 1972.
But there was no decision for administering the mobile courts in the letter, they said also mentioning that the circular asking the judicial magistrates to oversee the election-related legal proceedings in the courts conflicts the relevant section of the RPO 1972.
The law empowers the magistrates to try and sentence, on the spot, those found guilty of illegal activities including rigging in the polling areas to 2-7 years in jail and also pecuniary fines, they pointed out.
As per the new decision, the executive magistrates through mobile courts can just fine the offenders on the spot but the judicial magistrates will have wait at the courts for allegations to try and penalise the offenders - which is far from being realistic, they said.
The new move is also against the Constitution and criminal laws as the EC took the decision to appoint judicial magistrates in consultation with the Supreme Court.
Another magistrate also preferring anonymity said on Sunday afternoon that the EC decision is against the Sections 21 and 190 of the Criminal Procedure Code.
Besides, the Section 190 of the Cr. PC empowers the judicial magistrates to entertain cases beyond the areas of their jurisdictions but the Commission's surprise move has undermined them.
Asked about the issue, SC Registrar Abu Bakar Siddique and Judicial Service Association secretary general Abdul Gafur declined to comment to bdnews24.com.