Decisions of the EC
Syed Jamaluddin | Wednesday, 2 July 2008
THE Election Commission (EC) has taken some decisions which were not initially supported by many political parties. Views of the EC in respect of many issues are opposite to the position taken by the political parties. Although the Commission has held two meetings with the political parties, it appears that they have not followed the view points of the political parties. The Commission has started the process for conducting the election to some of the local bodies and making all preparations.
We may examine the merits of the decisions taken by the EC. Election to local bodies has become due. The voter list is ready. Influence of political parties will be minimal at this stage. It will also give an opportunity to the government to see how these elections are conducted under the changed circumstances. On the other hand, political parties want to hold these elections after the general election so that they can turn the results to their advantage. There seems to be no other argument in their favour. Therefore, the EC's decision to hold local government elections before the general election and without political influence seems to be logical.
Let us take the case of delimitation of constituencies. Because of population increase as well as migration of population in different cities and towns, the issue of refixing of the boundaries of electoral area has become necessary. Politicians do not want this and they want to contest election on the basis of earlier arrangement to give them a built-in advantage to contest election. So their case is not rational. The EC's decision seems to be in the right direction.
The EC has announced that polls to four city corporations and nine municipalities will be held on August 4, while the caretaker government relaxed the emergency rules in respective areas for allowing campaign processions and rallies. As regards opposition of political parties, the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) has said that the Commission would not do anything that might hamper holding of the parliamentary election. Holding of local government polls will not have any adverse impact on the holding of parliamentary poll. It will rather create an election atmosphere in the country. There should be no politics in local government elections. These are non-partisan polls.
About the restrictions imposed on election campaign, the CEC said the rules slapped a strict ban on bringing out processions to show off strength at the time of submitting applications for candidacy. It also prohibited indiscriminate pasting of posters. The restrictions have been imposed to reduce election expenditure so that honest and competent candidates may get a chance to contest in the polls. According to CEC, the EC is trying to follow the electoral road map announced earlier which stipulated that local government polls will be held before the parliamentary poll, wherever voter list would be ready. The Commission is organising workshops to assist candidates in filling out forms.
Political parties have reacted differently to the polls schedule. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) rejected the schedule while the Awami League (AL) initially termed it as conspiratorial and farcical. Jatiya Party welcomed the decision to hold local government elections and urged the government to declare the schedule for upazila election. Bikalpadhara said they would contest the elections provided other parties take part in it. Some have feared that general election would be delayed if local elections are held first. It is also said that the EC overstepped its constitutional mandate by announcing local government polls. Jamaat said that the govt has failed to respect the public opinion.
People have generally welcomed the decision of the Awami League to take part in the upcoming election for city corporations and municipalities. This speaks of the maturity of this party. The EC should consider these elections as a test case and work for successful implementation. The success of these elections will lay a strong foundation for all the future elections.
A few days ago, the Local Govt Adviser has said that government would hold upazila elections before the parliamentary polls. A law is being finalised for holding upazila polls. It is said that all political parties agree on the point of strengthening the local government. The previous two governments did or could not hold upazila elections. Such elections could not be held mainly due to the opposition of parliament members. The Chief Adviser has confirmed that elections to upazila parishads would be held before general elections. According to him, the interim government wants to hold free and fair elections with participation of all political parties to further consolidate democracy and improve governance.
Politicians claim that the constitution does not empower the government to hold any election other than that for parliament. They suspect that some hidden agenda may be at work to prevent them from playing their due role in politics. This may undercut the voting for a new parliament. This may be an attempt to making them irrelevant. But vigorous participation in the polls by ensuring free and fair polls should be the best way to tackle the problem. Non participation in the polls is not a solution.
An eminent jurist said that the EC is free to hold the local government elections. The grassroot level leaders of major political parties have already started campaign for local government polls, despite opposition from the high command. The Jatiya Party has already said it would take part in the election and asked party men to elect honest and potential candidates. Former president H. M. Ershad praised the government for reintroducing the upazila system. The local government elections are non-political. It is not logical to resist the elections.
There are good reasons for holding local government elections. The nation has been waiting for election since the introduction of emergency rules. Negative approach should not delay elections. City corporations and municipal bodies have been without elections for long. People by and large have been expecting elections since the imposition of emergency.
It is imperative to go back to democratic governance. Any decision by the parties to boycott the polls will create new uncertainty. They should rather prepare the ground for free and fair election. Creation of stalemate as in the case of the situation prevailing before 1/11 will not be in the best interest of the country. We must go forward rather than going back.
All parties must realize the mood of the people. They want to get out of the present situation and enter a democratic phase. Therefore, all concerned must proceed according to the declared road map. If any complication arises, it must be resolved through dialogue. We must overcome stalemate under all circumstances.
The CEC has observed that political culture of the country has to change to establish democracy in the true sense. According to him, it is very unfortunate to see the lawmakers busy elsewhere when there is a quorum crisis in the parliament.
Professional bodies have expressed their deep concern over the unilateral decision of the government to hold local govt elections bypassing opinion of the people. There is a view that if local government elections are held after the general election, the newly elected government may have good understanding with the local authorities in the conduct of all affairs. But this is what the government wants to avoid.
The four-party alliance has given a five-point demand for joining the local government elections. They have also accused the Awami League for connivance with the government. Dialogue process of the government is in progress. Hopefully government will be able to convince BNP and other parties to participate in the polls.
(The writer is an economist and columnist)
We may examine the merits of the decisions taken by the EC. Election to local bodies has become due. The voter list is ready. Influence of political parties will be minimal at this stage. It will also give an opportunity to the government to see how these elections are conducted under the changed circumstances. On the other hand, political parties want to hold these elections after the general election so that they can turn the results to their advantage. There seems to be no other argument in their favour. Therefore, the EC's decision to hold local government elections before the general election and without political influence seems to be logical.
Let us take the case of delimitation of constituencies. Because of population increase as well as migration of population in different cities and towns, the issue of refixing of the boundaries of electoral area has become necessary. Politicians do not want this and they want to contest election on the basis of earlier arrangement to give them a built-in advantage to contest election. So their case is not rational. The EC's decision seems to be in the right direction.
The EC has announced that polls to four city corporations and nine municipalities will be held on August 4, while the caretaker government relaxed the emergency rules in respective areas for allowing campaign processions and rallies. As regards opposition of political parties, the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) has said that the Commission would not do anything that might hamper holding of the parliamentary election. Holding of local government polls will not have any adverse impact on the holding of parliamentary poll. It will rather create an election atmosphere in the country. There should be no politics in local government elections. These are non-partisan polls.
About the restrictions imposed on election campaign, the CEC said the rules slapped a strict ban on bringing out processions to show off strength at the time of submitting applications for candidacy. It also prohibited indiscriminate pasting of posters. The restrictions have been imposed to reduce election expenditure so that honest and competent candidates may get a chance to contest in the polls. According to CEC, the EC is trying to follow the electoral road map announced earlier which stipulated that local government polls will be held before the parliamentary poll, wherever voter list would be ready. The Commission is organising workshops to assist candidates in filling out forms.
Political parties have reacted differently to the polls schedule. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) rejected the schedule while the Awami League (AL) initially termed it as conspiratorial and farcical. Jatiya Party welcomed the decision to hold local government elections and urged the government to declare the schedule for upazila election. Bikalpadhara said they would contest the elections provided other parties take part in it. Some have feared that general election would be delayed if local elections are held first. It is also said that the EC overstepped its constitutional mandate by announcing local government polls. Jamaat said that the govt has failed to respect the public opinion.
People have generally welcomed the decision of the Awami League to take part in the upcoming election for city corporations and municipalities. This speaks of the maturity of this party. The EC should consider these elections as a test case and work for successful implementation. The success of these elections will lay a strong foundation for all the future elections.
A few days ago, the Local Govt Adviser has said that government would hold upazila elections before the parliamentary polls. A law is being finalised for holding upazila polls. It is said that all political parties agree on the point of strengthening the local government. The previous two governments did or could not hold upazila elections. Such elections could not be held mainly due to the opposition of parliament members. The Chief Adviser has confirmed that elections to upazila parishads would be held before general elections. According to him, the interim government wants to hold free and fair elections with participation of all political parties to further consolidate democracy and improve governance.
Politicians claim that the constitution does not empower the government to hold any election other than that for parliament. They suspect that some hidden agenda may be at work to prevent them from playing their due role in politics. This may undercut the voting for a new parliament. This may be an attempt to making them irrelevant. But vigorous participation in the polls by ensuring free and fair polls should be the best way to tackle the problem. Non participation in the polls is not a solution.
An eminent jurist said that the EC is free to hold the local government elections. The grassroot level leaders of major political parties have already started campaign for local government polls, despite opposition from the high command. The Jatiya Party has already said it would take part in the election and asked party men to elect honest and potential candidates. Former president H. M. Ershad praised the government for reintroducing the upazila system. The local government elections are non-political. It is not logical to resist the elections.
There are good reasons for holding local government elections. The nation has been waiting for election since the introduction of emergency rules. Negative approach should not delay elections. City corporations and municipal bodies have been without elections for long. People by and large have been expecting elections since the imposition of emergency.
It is imperative to go back to democratic governance. Any decision by the parties to boycott the polls will create new uncertainty. They should rather prepare the ground for free and fair election. Creation of stalemate as in the case of the situation prevailing before 1/11 will not be in the best interest of the country. We must go forward rather than going back.
All parties must realize the mood of the people. They want to get out of the present situation and enter a democratic phase. Therefore, all concerned must proceed according to the declared road map. If any complication arises, it must be resolved through dialogue. We must overcome stalemate under all circumstances.
The CEC has observed that political culture of the country has to change to establish democracy in the true sense. According to him, it is very unfortunate to see the lawmakers busy elsewhere when there is a quorum crisis in the parliament.
Professional bodies have expressed their deep concern over the unilateral decision of the government to hold local govt elections bypassing opinion of the people. There is a view that if local government elections are held after the general election, the newly elected government may have good understanding with the local authorities in the conduct of all affairs. But this is what the government wants to avoid.
The four-party alliance has given a five-point demand for joining the local government elections. They have also accused the Awami League for connivance with the government. Dialogue process of the government is in progress. Hopefully government will be able to convince BNP and other parties to participate in the polls.
(The writer is an economist and columnist)