LDP for banning war criminals in polls
Wednesday, 12 December 2007
The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Chairman Oli Ahmed has requested the Election Commission (EC) to declare the timeframe for general elections without delay and bar war criminals from running.
In the electoral reforms dialogue Tuesday, the LDP chief said the EC should help the nation restore its confidence in the good intentions of the EC by announcing the polls schedules, reports bdnews24.com.
The EC has declared a timeline that schedules the national polls for end-2008.
A 12-member LDP delegation led by Oli took part in the meeting with the EC represented by the Chief Election Commissioner, one election commissioner, the secretary and other officials.
At the beginning of the dialogue Oli said, "There is confusion about the roadmap of the Election Commission. People are not sure yet whether the election will be held or not. The country is in doubt about the elections."
"This is no ordinary time, people are passing through a tough time. People will get back their faith if the commission declares the schedule."
CEC Shamsul Huda said, "We have spelled out timeframe for the election. The deadline for the elections is December 2008, according to the declaration. It (the poll) may come forward.
Earlier we estimated 90 million voters. But now we see that the voters may not be more than 70 million."
"It will take less time for registering voters with photos. So we can declare the time frame earlier," Huda said.
"We won't do anything that might disrupt the parliamentary elections. That's why the Union Parishad elections will not be held before the national elections.
Huda said the consultative dialogue on reforms would end after talks with BNP. "We are waiting for the order of the court. We will finish the session if the court resolves the matter soon."
The LDP placed a number of proposals including full autonomy for the Election Commission, declaring the anti-liberation forces and war criminals unfit for the election, setting the minimum academic qualification for the aspirant lawmakers at honours degree and SSC for Union Parishad candidates.
Fifteen political parties have so far discussed the electoral issues after the EC started the electoral reforms dialogue on September 12.
In the electoral reforms dialogue Tuesday, the LDP chief said the EC should help the nation restore its confidence in the good intentions of the EC by announcing the polls schedules, reports bdnews24.com.
The EC has declared a timeline that schedules the national polls for end-2008.
A 12-member LDP delegation led by Oli took part in the meeting with the EC represented by the Chief Election Commissioner, one election commissioner, the secretary and other officials.
At the beginning of the dialogue Oli said, "There is confusion about the roadmap of the Election Commission. People are not sure yet whether the election will be held or not. The country is in doubt about the elections."
"This is no ordinary time, people are passing through a tough time. People will get back their faith if the commission declares the schedule."
CEC Shamsul Huda said, "We have spelled out timeframe for the election. The deadline for the elections is December 2008, according to the declaration. It (the poll) may come forward.
Earlier we estimated 90 million voters. But now we see that the voters may not be more than 70 million."
"It will take less time for registering voters with photos. So we can declare the time frame earlier," Huda said.
"We won't do anything that might disrupt the parliamentary elections. That's why the Union Parishad elections will not be held before the national elections.
Huda said the consultative dialogue on reforms would end after talks with BNP. "We are waiting for the order of the court. We will finish the session if the court resolves the matter soon."
The LDP placed a number of proposals including full autonomy for the Election Commission, declaring the anti-liberation forces and war criminals unfit for the election, setting the minimum academic qualification for the aspirant lawmakers at honours degree and SSC for Union Parishad candidates.
Fifteen political parties have so far discussed the electoral issues after the EC started the electoral reforms dialogue on September 12.