Ershad suggests necessary reforms in electoral process

Chairman of Jatiya Party (JP) and former President Hussein Muhammad Ershad Wednesday suggested for reforms in the present electoral process to free it from the clutch of muscle power and curse of unbridled use of money for ensuring democracy and accountable governance in the country, reports BSS. "Despite our all sincere efforts, we cannot keep the present electoral system out of bitter criticism as any poll result faces various allegations like rigging, vote dacoity and ballot hijacking from the defeated parties," he told a press conference at the party's Banani office here. JP Secretary General Ruhul Amin Hawlader and other central leaders were present. Ershad, also a leader of the Grand Alliance now in power, in his suggestions said since the parliamentary system of government stands for the party-based governance, elections could only be held on party basis. "This means the electorates will vote for the parties, not for any candidate," he said. In the current system of election, the former President said the black money holders and inefficient people are up with their muscles and other unholy influences to get elected as lawmakers, while the politically seasoned ones are ignored. "Everybody knows how muscle and black money become decisive factors in such elections," he said. In a written statement, the JP chairman put forward several specific proposals explaining that each party participating in the elections would get their parliamentary seats in a proportionate rate on the basis of the votes it bagged. "Each party should disclose the names of its candidates through manifesto and submit list to the Election Commission. Any party polling the maximum votes will get the highest number of parliamentary seats," he said. According to Ershad's proposals, if any party gets 50 per cent of the votes cast, then it will get 150 seats of the Jatiya Sangsad. If any party gets only one per cent of the votes cast then it will get three seats in parliament, he said and made it further clear that all parties would get their parliamentary seats in a proportionate manner as per the number of votes going in favour of them. He suggested raising the number of parliamentary seats to 400 from the present 300 in view of the increase in the country's population.