EC won't sit with parties unless reforms completed
Tuesday, 3 July 2007
The Election Commission will sit with the political parties to discuss the draft electoral law reforms unless the parties' reforms are completed under the current purge, reports UNB.
Even if the ban on indoor politics goes, the EC would not hold the planned dialogue, before the politicians recast their parties, Election Commissioner M Sohul Hussain Monday apprised reporters of the latest EC position.
"The discussion will not be fruitful unless the reform of political parties is done. Before that it will be discussion with individuals. If they come into a shape, then the discussion will be with political parties. First, we have to have the parties (in shape)," he said, indicating the topsyturvy in the parties over the issue of reform.
"We will sit for the dialogue when the political parties will come into a shape after lifting the ban on indoor politics."
Earlier, Chief Election Commissioner Dr ATM Shamsul Huda and two advisers of the caretaker government had said the political parties could informally meet with the EC to discuss the draft reform proposals of concerned electoral laws.
But the politicians appeared lukewarm about the EC-offered informal parley. They remarked that there is no benefit of talking informally, as they couldn't share the outcome with their party members due to the ban on politics.
"Yes, that is so," Sohul replied when asked if they are waiting for completion of the council sessions of the political parties, meant for pushing through the reform recipes.
Even if the ban on indoor politics goes, the EC would not hold the planned dialogue, before the politicians recast their parties, Election Commissioner M Sohul Hussain Monday apprised reporters of the latest EC position.
"The discussion will not be fruitful unless the reform of political parties is done. Before that it will be discussion with individuals. If they come into a shape, then the discussion will be with political parties. First, we have to have the parties (in shape)," he said, indicating the topsyturvy in the parties over the issue of reform.
"We will sit for the dialogue when the political parties will come into a shape after lifting the ban on indoor politics."
Earlier, Chief Election Commissioner Dr ATM Shamsul Huda and two advisers of the caretaker government had said the political parties could informally meet with the EC to discuss the draft reform proposals of concerned electoral laws.
But the politicians appeared lukewarm about the EC-offered informal parley. They remarked that there is no benefit of talking informally, as they couldn't share the outcome with their party members due to the ban on politics.
"Yes, that is so," Sohul replied when asked if they are waiting for completion of the council sessions of the political parties, meant for pushing through the reform recipes.