Forming a new Election Commission

The tenure of the present Election Commission (EC) expires on February 08, 2017. The Law Minister has said that the government is considering to set up the new EC through a search committee. So, the government should take the initiative for holding dialogues with all stakeholders to form the new EC will be acceptable to all parties concerned.
Opposition political parties are asking the government to hold dialogues while the government leaders are saying that there would be no dialogue with the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP). A former Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) has said that the EC should be reorganised in the light of consensus reached among political parties and search committee is no answer.
Political parties and civil society representatives have given their views which can be summarised as follows: there is no substitute to dialogue if political divisiveness has to be removed; the government has to open dialogue keeping in view the issue of reorganising the EC; how the next election is to be held has to be decided right now; people will not accept the likes of one-sided election of January 05, 2014. But the newly elected General Secretary of Awami League has ruled out any possibility of dialogue with the BNP in this regard. He later moderated his stance and said that in future dialogue may be held with political parties in national interest.
Currently there are two main issues in politics: The system of government for election and an independent and strong EC. Election to the tenth parliament was not participatory. Twenty-eight parties, including the BNP, rejected the election.
The role of the EC is vital for strengthening democracy and it should be free from political influence. Now that the issue of formation of the new EC has come to the fore, the commissioners to be nominated must be neutral and non-partisan. The successive governments have failed to pass a legislation to form an Election Commission. It is time now to make such a law to keep the EC above all controversies.
A lively debate is growing over the reconstitution of the Election Commission as the tenure of the existing EC expires soon. Pressure for a dialogue and a consensus for reconstitution of a new Election Commission is mounting. The pressure is also coming from civil society leaders. They are calling for formation of an Election Commission based on the opinion of all political parties and civil society leaders with credible persons acceptable to all. The members of this body should have the guts to withstand pressure and hold the next parliamentary election and other local elections in a free, fair and neutral manner.
The country has seen violent elections in the recent past at national and local levels. The  EC appeared to be totally helpless. The point is that the EC must be able to hold free, fair and inclusive election with the participation of all political parties and ensure a level playing field for all.
The ruling party looks determined to win the next general election and the just-concluded Awami League Council made no secret about it. It has called upon its leaders to prepare for it. The government will hold the election by keeping the Prime Minister, the cabinet ministers and the MPs in their positions. Since there is no provision for a caretaker government, there is no need for handing over power to any body to run an interim government. It wants to complete its development agenda. It is clear from the statements of ruling party leaders that there is hardly any chance of reaching a consensus on EC issue and the next general election will be held under the existing system.
The writer is an economist and columnist.
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