Law equally applies to all, EC says on candidacy of two ex-PMs if convicted
Monday, 6 October 2008
If convicted under the emergency powers rules during the current purge, any aspirant will be ineligible to contest elections even if they file appeal with the higher court against the trial court verdict, said an Election Commissioner, reports UNB.
"No matter whether it comes to two leaders (Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina), the law equally applies to all," M Sohul Hussain told reporters at his office Sunday in reply to a question.
However, the Election Commissioner said if anybody is not awarded minimum two years of jail term under the conventional law, he or she would get the chance to contest elections even if they do not appeal against the trial court verdict.
"But anybody, who is awarded more than two years of jail term under conventional law and his or her appeal is not granted, is disqualified to contest elections," he said.
The EC clarification came amidst inquisitiveness in different circles about the prospects for candidature of many politicians who have been detained and jailed or being prosecuted after their arrest following the 1/11 changeover, now that the general election is not far off.
About the fate of loan defaulters, the election commissioner said the Commission has formulated a law to rapidly identify defaulters during the scrutiny of their nomination papers to screen them out.
"As the time is short during the scrutiny of the candidates' nomination papers, we'll tell Bangladesh Bank to ask its branches across the country to make a list of the defaulters who are likely to contest the upcoming elections so that the defaulters could be rapidly identified during the scrutiny of their nomination papers," he said.
Asked whether the parliamentary elections will be held under the state of emergency, Sohul Hussain said the Commission would tell the government to create the right atmosphere for holding a free, fair and acceptable election in the country.
Dispelling people's confusion as to whether the general election would be held in due time, he said the present Election Commission is working tirelessly to hold a free, fair and acceptable election to Parliament as per the declared date--December 18.
"No matter whether it comes to two leaders (Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina), the law equally applies to all," M Sohul Hussain told reporters at his office Sunday in reply to a question.
However, the Election Commissioner said if anybody is not awarded minimum two years of jail term under the conventional law, he or she would get the chance to contest elections even if they do not appeal against the trial court verdict.
"But anybody, who is awarded more than two years of jail term under conventional law and his or her appeal is not granted, is disqualified to contest elections," he said.
The EC clarification came amidst inquisitiveness in different circles about the prospects for candidature of many politicians who have been detained and jailed or being prosecuted after their arrest following the 1/11 changeover, now that the general election is not far off.
About the fate of loan defaulters, the election commissioner said the Commission has formulated a law to rapidly identify defaulters during the scrutiny of their nomination papers to screen them out.
"As the time is short during the scrutiny of the candidates' nomination papers, we'll tell Bangladesh Bank to ask its branches across the country to make a list of the defaulters who are likely to contest the upcoming elections so that the defaulters could be rapidly identified during the scrutiny of their nomination papers," he said.
Asked whether the parliamentary elections will be held under the state of emergency, Sohul Hussain said the Commission would tell the government to create the right atmosphere for holding a free, fair and acceptable election in the country.
Dispelling people's confusion as to whether the general election would be held in due time, he said the present Election Commission is working tirelessly to hold a free, fair and acceptable election to Parliament as per the declared date--December 18.