Proper application of RPO to strengthen EC stressed
Friday, 28 November 2008
Chairman of Transparency International, Bangladesh (TIB) Muzaffer Ahmad Thursday underscored the need for proper application of the Representation of People Order (RPO) for strengthening the Election Commission (EC).
Proper application of the RPO will help strengthen the EC, but there should be a procedure to avoid its abuse, he added.
He favoured not repealing Section 91 (E) of the RPO saying that repealing of the section was a political demand and if the political parties were effective, they had nothing to fear from the RPO.
He was speaking at a workshop on 'Laws Relating to Parliamentary Elections', was organised by Sushasoner Jonya Nagorik (Sujon), a local NGO, at its secretariat in the city.
Former adviser of the caretaker government M Hafiz Uddin Khan spoke on the occasion as special guest while Sujon secretary Badiul Alam Majumdar also addressed.
Hafiz Uddin Khan said political parties did not follow the code of conduct in the past elections. He recommended for proper application of the RPO.
Hafiz Uddin Khan suggested for holding discussions on laws relating to the elections with the participation of legal experts as majority of the people do not have any idea about the laws.
Badiul, in his written statement, said confusion has been created over the convicted political leaders whether they would be allowed to participate in the coming polls or not.
Increased electoral expenditure can cause violation to the electoral code of conduct, he said adding, the EC might introduce a process so that the political parties submit their probable election expenditure to the EC on the day of submission of nomination papers.
Proper application of the RPO will help strengthen the EC, but there should be a procedure to avoid its abuse, he added.
He favoured not repealing Section 91 (E) of the RPO saying that repealing of the section was a political demand and if the political parties were effective, they had nothing to fear from the RPO.
He was speaking at a workshop on 'Laws Relating to Parliamentary Elections', was organised by Sushasoner Jonya Nagorik (Sujon), a local NGO, at its secretariat in the city.
Former adviser of the caretaker government M Hafiz Uddin Khan spoke on the occasion as special guest while Sujon secretary Badiul Alam Majumdar also addressed.
Hafiz Uddin Khan said political parties did not follow the code of conduct in the past elections. He recommended for proper application of the RPO.
Hafiz Uddin Khan suggested for holding discussions on laws relating to the elections with the participation of legal experts as majority of the people do not have any idea about the laws.
Badiul, in his written statement, said confusion has been created over the convicted political leaders whether they would be allowed to participate in the coming polls or not.
Increased electoral expenditure can cause violation to the electoral code of conduct, he said adding, the EC might introduce a process so that the political parties submit their probable election expenditure to the EC on the day of submission of nomination papers.