EC to set example of fair election in Ctg: CEC
Saturday, 5 June 2010
Our Correspondent
CHITTAGONG, June 04: Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) ATM Shamsul Huda has said EC wants to set an example of fair election in Chittagong.
He said the EC has no political agenda. The people of the city will cast votes for the candidate of their choice to elect the people's representatives. This is what the EC wants, he said.
The CEC was exchanging views with the executive and judicial magistrates on duty for the upcoming city corporation election, officials of the law enforcement agencies, district administration and election officials at the local circuit house this afternoon.
Divisional commissioner, additional divisional commissioner, deputy commissioner, CMP commissioner, DIG of Chittagong range, deputy commissioners of CMP, representatives from the RAB-7 and other officials concerned were present.
Earlier, in the morning the CEC had a meeting with the candidates for the mayoral post, ward counciler posts and reserved counciler posts for women at the local Muslim Hall.
In the meeting at Muslim Hall chief election agent of the BNP-backed mayoral candidate and president of city BNP Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury expressed doubts about a fair election on June 17 saying that the partymen might be employed as presiding and polling officers.
He also alleged that some government officials have resorted to controversial activities. He wanted to know if the election commission has any role to play here.
In reply, CEC Shamsul Huda said the list of polls conducting officials will be published on June 5 and 6. If any objection is raised against anyone he or she will be excluded from the list.
Regarding the resumption of acting mayor by Jahirul Alam Dobhash, a ward-based Awami League leader, he said he has been endowed with the post as a panel mayor as per provisions of the local government ministry.
Khosru, however, hailed the decision of the election commission to deploy armed forces to ensure fair election but said the army should be deployed as mobile forces, not as striking forces.
The CEC assured Khosru that his proposal might be considered.
The AL-backed mayoral candidate ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury was present at that time but he did not say anything.
But his chief election coordinator Ishaq Meah raised objections to the statement of Khosru though the CEC did not pay much heed to him.
At that time both Ishaq and Khosru exchanged arguments for a short while.
While coming out of the meeting with the CEC Mohiuddin said, "I came to the meeting after going well through the rules and code of conduct of the EC, so I did not want to kill time by unnecessary arguments."
He urged all candidates to avoid arrangement of any 'mezban', milad and public feast for the voters before election for the sake of a fair election.
In the meeting with election-related officials he said the EC has constituted 41 vigilance teams headed by executive magistrates apart from 12 mobile teams in each metropolitan police station headed by judicial magistrates.
Each polling centre will have 20 law enforces and each vulnerable centre will have 21 law enforces, he said.
Entrance of the outsiders into the Chittagong City Corporation area will be strictly controlled.
BSS adds: The CEC said EC was in no way under any ministry. It is only accountable to parliament and president.
Shamsul Huda said the EC was now fully prepared to hold CCC election.
Detailing various measures undertaken within the existing framework of the EC, the CEC said 31 election officials would be working and the mobile court comprising 41 executive magistrates and 12 judicial magistrates had been empowered for holding instant summary trial to dispose of any complaint.
A total of 41 observers from the EC and 12 judicial magistrates would also be deputed in the polling areas, Huda said adding that no irregularities in the polls would be tolerated.
In response to a question of one mayoral candidate, the CEC said mobile phone was strictly prohibited inside the polling centres excepting only the presiding officers.
Speaking about the polls observers, Huda said this time the observers in the polling areas would only be mobile, they would not be allowed to stay inside the polling centres.
CHITTAGONG, June 04: Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) ATM Shamsul Huda has said EC wants to set an example of fair election in Chittagong.
He said the EC has no political agenda. The people of the city will cast votes for the candidate of their choice to elect the people's representatives. This is what the EC wants, he said.
The CEC was exchanging views with the executive and judicial magistrates on duty for the upcoming city corporation election, officials of the law enforcement agencies, district administration and election officials at the local circuit house this afternoon.
Divisional commissioner, additional divisional commissioner, deputy commissioner, CMP commissioner, DIG of Chittagong range, deputy commissioners of CMP, representatives from the RAB-7 and other officials concerned were present.
Earlier, in the morning the CEC had a meeting with the candidates for the mayoral post, ward counciler posts and reserved counciler posts for women at the local Muslim Hall.
In the meeting at Muslim Hall chief election agent of the BNP-backed mayoral candidate and president of city BNP Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury expressed doubts about a fair election on June 17 saying that the partymen might be employed as presiding and polling officers.
He also alleged that some government officials have resorted to controversial activities. He wanted to know if the election commission has any role to play here.
In reply, CEC Shamsul Huda said the list of polls conducting officials will be published on June 5 and 6. If any objection is raised against anyone he or she will be excluded from the list.
Regarding the resumption of acting mayor by Jahirul Alam Dobhash, a ward-based Awami League leader, he said he has been endowed with the post as a panel mayor as per provisions of the local government ministry.
Khosru, however, hailed the decision of the election commission to deploy armed forces to ensure fair election but said the army should be deployed as mobile forces, not as striking forces.
The CEC assured Khosru that his proposal might be considered.
The AL-backed mayoral candidate ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury was present at that time but he did not say anything.
But his chief election coordinator Ishaq Meah raised objections to the statement of Khosru though the CEC did not pay much heed to him.
At that time both Ishaq and Khosru exchanged arguments for a short while.
While coming out of the meeting with the CEC Mohiuddin said, "I came to the meeting after going well through the rules and code of conduct of the EC, so I did not want to kill time by unnecessary arguments."
He urged all candidates to avoid arrangement of any 'mezban', milad and public feast for the voters before election for the sake of a fair election.
In the meeting with election-related officials he said the EC has constituted 41 vigilance teams headed by executive magistrates apart from 12 mobile teams in each metropolitan police station headed by judicial magistrates.
Each polling centre will have 20 law enforces and each vulnerable centre will have 21 law enforces, he said.
Entrance of the outsiders into the Chittagong City Corporation area will be strictly controlled.
BSS adds: The CEC said EC was in no way under any ministry. It is only accountable to parliament and president.
Shamsul Huda said the EC was now fully prepared to hold CCC election.
Detailing various measures undertaken within the existing framework of the EC, the CEC said 31 election officials would be working and the mobile court comprising 41 executive magistrates and 12 judicial magistrates had been empowered for holding instant summary trial to dispose of any complaint.
A total of 41 observers from the EC and 12 judicial magistrates would also be deputed in the polling areas, Huda said adding that no irregularities in the polls would be tolerated.
In response to a question of one mayoral candidate, the CEC said mobile phone was strictly prohibited inside the polling centres excepting only the presiding officers.
Speaking about the polls observers, Huda said this time the observers in the polling areas would only be mobile, they would not be allowed to stay inside the polling centres.