EC warns of stern action against vested quarters

The Election Commission (EC) will take stern action against those vested quarters who will try to foil the poll to the newly formed Comilla City Corporation scheduled to be held on January 5, reports UNB. Talking to reporters Monday Election Commissioner Brig Gen M Sakhawat Hussain said the Commission has been informed that some individuals have been trying to foil the city corporation poll. He warned that if the Commission takes legal action, each of the culprits would have to face 2-7 years imprisonment. Describing the city corporation election as a non-partisan and individual poll, Sakhawat said the Commission will not consider any threat of boycotting the poll by any group or political party. He said all the legal candidates will be given security, assistance and all sorts of facilities to contest in the election. The Election Commissioner also said nobody should demonstrate muscle power and frighten the voters. Mr Sakhwat said the political parties should abide by the rules and regulations fixed for the city corporation elections. "It's the local election, individual election and not the party election." He informed that the Commission will sit in a meeting with the top officials of the law enforcing agencies on December 12 to review law and order situation ahead of Comilla City Corporation poll. The candidates in the city polls will be allowed to formally start their election campaign after December 14, the last date of withdrawal of candidature. Mr Sahkawat said security measures would be taken considering the situation of polling centers in Comilla and security scales used during the Narayanganj City Corporation election would be followed in the same way during this poll. At present, nine district magistrates have been working in the election areas along with the returning officers and assistant returning officers. Police have been asked to keep keen eyes on the identified terrorists and convicted persons in the election areas, he added. All sorts of legal weapons should be deposited to nearby police station, he said adding that BGB has been asked to keep eyes on the border while police has already set up additional check posts. The Election Commissioner said the Commission would set up video cameras which will record the whole voting at all of the polling booths during the election. Terming Comilla as the most advanced locality in Bangladesh, Shakhawat requested all its inhabitants to exercise their political and democratic rights to successfully hold the city poll.