EC extends deadline to Oct 20
Tuesday, 14 October 2008
Responding to the BNP-led four-party pressure, the Election Commission has decided to extend the deadline for parties to apply for registration, by five days to Oct 20, reports UNB/bdnews24.com.
"The EC has decided to extend the deadline for parties by five days, but the commission will still complete its registration process, including scrutiny of applications, by its own deadline of Oct 30," the chief election commissioner (CEC) told reporters Monday.
ATM Shamsul Huda made the announcement after a meeting of the commission, with his other two colleagues Muhammed Sohul Hussain and M Sakhawat Hussain attending.
"There will be no further extension of the deadline," the CEC warned, replying to reporters.
BNP and its political ally Jamaat-e-Islami submitted two separate written applications to the EC Sunday asking it to extend the deadline for party registration by one week.
CEC noted that the commission extended the time by five days after properly thinking and taking into account all matters and hoped that all parties would now be able to apply for getting registered with the commission.
Replying to another question about the state of emergency--which major political parties demand should be withdrawn ahead of the elections--Dr Huda said the political parties should discuss with and apprise the caretaker government of their problems.
The CEC said during the scrutiny for determining the eligibility of the parties for registration, the commission would only examine the constitutions of the established political parties while all the remaining parties would be drastically scrutinized to assess their qualifications.
About tomorrow's proceedings on the writ over the delimitation of the parliamentary constituencies, Dr Huda expressed hope that the verdict would go in favour of the Election Commission.
Earlier Monday, BJP, one of the allies of the BNP-led four-party alliance, submitted an application to the EC asking it to extend by seven days the time for applying for party registration. BJP vice- president Abdul Matin handed over the party letter to the Commission.
"The EC has decided to extend the deadline for parties by five days, but the commission will still complete its registration process, including scrutiny of applications, by its own deadline of Oct 30," the chief election commissioner (CEC) told reporters Monday.
ATM Shamsul Huda made the announcement after a meeting of the commission, with his other two colleagues Muhammed Sohul Hussain and M Sakhawat Hussain attending.
"There will be no further extension of the deadline," the CEC warned, replying to reporters.
BNP and its political ally Jamaat-e-Islami submitted two separate written applications to the EC Sunday asking it to extend the deadline for party registration by one week.
CEC noted that the commission extended the time by five days after properly thinking and taking into account all matters and hoped that all parties would now be able to apply for getting registered with the commission.
Replying to another question about the state of emergency--which major political parties demand should be withdrawn ahead of the elections--Dr Huda said the political parties should discuss with and apprise the caretaker government of their problems.
The CEC said during the scrutiny for determining the eligibility of the parties for registration, the commission would only examine the constitutions of the established political parties while all the remaining parties would be drastically scrutinized to assess their qualifications.
About tomorrow's proceedings on the writ over the delimitation of the parliamentary constituencies, Dr Huda expressed hope that the verdict would go in favour of the Election Commission.
Earlier Monday, BJP, one of the allies of the BNP-led four-party alliance, submitted an application to the EC asking it to extend by seven days the time for applying for party registration. BJP vice- president Abdul Matin handed over the party letter to the Commission.