State of emergency barrier to holding polls: Sohul
Wednesday, 2 January 2008
The Election Commission (EC) sees state of emergency as a "barrier" to holding election, as EC Commissioner Sohul Hussain Tuesday said, it is not possible to hold the polls keeping the emergency in force, reports UNB.
He said, the EC would ask the government to create appropriate atmosphere for holding the elections, but it would entirely depend on the government whether to lift or relax the state of emergency.
He pointed out that once elections were held under a state of emergency in the country. "Fact is they, who are in charge of controlling the overall factors of the country, will consider what to do… The EC is thinking about asking the government to create a congenial atmosphere to hold elections," says Sohul.
Asked if the EC would ask the government to lift the state of emergency, the Commissioner said, it would be solely the government who should decide whether to relax or lift the state of emergency, not the EC.
"But, for any reason if we think that the elections will be hampered due to state of emergency, then we'll ask the government to relax the state of emergency more or do something else."
He said, the EC would ask the government to create appropriate atmosphere for holding the elections, but it would entirely depend on the government whether to lift or relax the state of emergency.
He pointed out that once elections were held under a state of emergency in the country. "Fact is they, who are in charge of controlling the overall factors of the country, will consider what to do… The EC is thinking about asking the government to create a congenial atmosphere to hold elections," says Sohul.
Asked if the EC would ask the government to lift the state of emergency, the Commissioner said, it would be solely the government who should decide whether to relax or lift the state of emergency, not the EC.
"But, for any reason if we think that the elections will be hampered due to state of emergency, then we'll ask the government to relax the state of emergency more or do something else."