No application will go unvetted: EC
Saturday, 18 October 2008
The Election Commission's (EC) committee for scrutiny of registration applications will review if Awami League (AL) has submitted its papers fulfilling all necessary criteria for registration, EC officials said Thursday, reports bdnews24.com
If the committee finds inconsistency in the application of any party, including AL, it will try to resolve the problem by directly contacting the party concerned, said election commissioner Muhammad Sohul Hussain.
After scrutiny, the committee will report to the Commission, who will make a final decision regarding registration on the basis of the report, he told journalists at his office at the EC Secretariat.
Sohul Hussain said a technical committee for scrutiny of the applications for registration has been formed with the EC joint secretary (law) as its head.
Asked once more by news men whether AL's amended constitution, with provisions for associate organisations, met the requirement of amended electoral law, he said, "We will not make any comment on hearsay without seeing the application. We cannot say now if there is any inconsistency at all."
Media reports in past days have highlighted AL's decision to keep a provision in its amended constitution for associate organisations and overseas units.
Following the party's application Wednesday, some reports claimed that AL had not fulfilled registration criteria, though the EC welcomed the application to register saying it was an important step towards elections in December.
On the much-debated subject, election commissioners have said that the EC did not have any problem with associated (student, worker or professional) organisations of a party, as long as they had separate constitutions.
AL leaders have repeatedly said that their associate organisations would now run according to their own constitutions and the party's central working committee will have no control in running them.
Asked Thursday about BNP's stance on registration, meanwhile, commissioner Sohul Hussain told journalists, "We have extended the application deadline on their appeal."
"They have until October 20 to apply to the commission. We will complete the work of registration by October 30."
As of Thursday, 29 political parties including AL had applied for registration.
BNP and its allies, however, have so far refused to take a decision on registration, saying it would not be possible before further talks and consensus with the government on several debated issues.
BNP leaders say they expect to have another dialogue with the government before Oct 20.
If the committee finds inconsistency in the application of any party, including AL, it will try to resolve the problem by directly contacting the party concerned, said election commissioner Muhammad Sohul Hussain.
After scrutiny, the committee will report to the Commission, who will make a final decision regarding registration on the basis of the report, he told journalists at his office at the EC Secretariat.
Sohul Hussain said a technical committee for scrutiny of the applications for registration has been formed with the EC joint secretary (law) as its head.
Asked once more by news men whether AL's amended constitution, with provisions for associate organisations, met the requirement of amended electoral law, he said, "We will not make any comment on hearsay without seeing the application. We cannot say now if there is any inconsistency at all."
Media reports in past days have highlighted AL's decision to keep a provision in its amended constitution for associate organisations and overseas units.
Following the party's application Wednesday, some reports claimed that AL had not fulfilled registration criteria, though the EC welcomed the application to register saying it was an important step towards elections in December.
On the much-debated subject, election commissioners have said that the EC did not have any problem with associated (student, worker or professional) organisations of a party, as long as they had separate constitutions.
AL leaders have repeatedly said that their associate organisations would now run according to their own constitutions and the party's central working committee will have no control in running them.
Asked Thursday about BNP's stance on registration, meanwhile, commissioner Sohul Hussain told journalists, "We have extended the application deadline on their appeal."
"They have until October 20 to apply to the commission. We will complete the work of registration by October 30."
As of Thursday, 29 political parties including AL had applied for registration.
BNP and its allies, however, have so far refused to take a decision on registration, saying it would not be possible before further talks and consensus with the government on several debated issues.
BNP leaders say they expect to have another dialogue with the government before Oct 20.