Who will bell the cat?

About six million voters will exercise their franchise on April 28, 2015 in the long overdue polls to Dhaka North and South City Corporations and in Chittagong City Corporation. The elections are an issue not only of the cities concerned but also of the whole country. The electronic and print media have made the city polls a lively subject. In fact, the mayoral and councillor candidates are getting wide coverage in the press. The mayoral candidates are appearing on the screen through the courtesy of electronic media every evening. It is free of cost. Candidates are saving millions of taka of their election expenditure.

'Level playing field' is an important issue in any election. It is more pronounced in a democratic polity where corrupt and fraudulent practices are found to occur. Level playing field means providing equal opportunities to all the contesting candidates and parties. On the other hand, corrupt and fraudulent practices include: (i) non-action by the election commission, (ii) unequal treatment by the election commission, (iii) violation of election code of conduct, (iv) use of money, arms and muscle power and (v) political or local influence.

In a changing socio-economic order, as is found in Bangladesh and many other developing countries, tremendous influence and power of money are observed in elections. Candidates are found to win the election by spending a huge amount of money in various ways. They may try to buy votes, influence and gain over the polling and security personnel, and hire mastans (hooligans) and terrorists. If administration, law enforcers or polling personnel are biased or gained over, election may be rigged. Again, officials engaged in election works may not be willing to work neutrally and firmly if there is a fear of punishment transfer or promotion being denied. The attitude of the ruling party or government is very important in addition to money power, arms and muscle power. The mischief-mongers may also terrorise the voters by letting loose terrorism during election time in the polling areas. They may drive away the polling agents of the rival candidates from election centres. Sometimes, there may be dictates from top bosses to different strata of officials engaged during election times. Thus there may be various ways by which the fairness, neutrality and credibility of the elections may be destroyed.

The state and society are aware of such possible corrupt and fraudulent practices. This is why laws, regulations and conduct rules are framed. Like parliamentary election, there are Local Government (City Corporation) Election Rules, City Corporation Election Code of Conduct and Election Officials Act to guide, control and conduct city corporation elections. Apart from some sections of Bangladesh Penal Code, Chapter V (Rule 69 to 87) of Local Government (City Corporation) Election Rules, 2010 (as amended up to March 16, 2015) defines election crimes and provides punishment therefor. The Election Commission is responsible for enforcing these rules. Again, Rule 9 of Election Code of Conduct for city corporations provides punishment for violation of any provision of this code. It provides punishment for maximum six months' imprisonment or a fine of Tk. 50,000 or both.

Now, who will bell the cat? Certainly, the Election Commission. Meanwhile, according to press reports, several mayoral candidates have alleged that the Election Commission is not playing an active role to provide equal facilities to all the contesting candidates. If this is so during pre-election times, there may be more serious allegations on the polls day and afterwards.

There are differences of opinion on the necessity of deployment of army during April 28 city polls. Army can be deployed by the Election Commission. Army, when deployed by the Commission, can automatically exercise powers of arrest under Rule 83 of Local Government (City Corporation) Election Rules, 2010.

The role of the Election Commission is very important in all elections. It is more so in the case of tomorrow’s city corporation polls, as the Election Commission came under the criticism of the opposition for the way it conducted the January 05, 2014 parliamentary election and the subsequent upazila parishad elections.

This time, the election atmosphere is different. The ruling Awami League is strong and it has endorsed candidates in the city polls. The opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) is also strong and it has also endorsed candidates in the city polls. The BNP boycotted the January 05, 2014 parliamentary election and launched political movement for holding election under a neutral caretaker government.

Thousands of its leaders and workers are accused in criminal cases. Many of them are in jail and many others are absconding. In current Dhaka city corporation polls, 62 out of 88 councillor candidates are absconding. They can not get directly involved in election campaign. Because of pending cases, it will be very difficult for them to field polling agents in about 1,982 election centres and more than ten thousand booths in Dhaka North and South City Corporations. In both areas, more than fifteen thousand polling agents will be required for each party (Awami League and BNP) for its mayoral and councillor candidates. Here, the Election Commission will have to ensure that thousands of polling agents can work safely and that they should not be harassed in any form.

Political influence can also impact the elections. It has been reported that 134 MPs will work for candidates endorsed by the Awami League in two Dhaka City Corporation elections. The Election Commission should have the prudence to tackle the situation.

All said and done, it is the responsibility of the Election Commission to hold a credible election and ensure that voters can vote in a free and peaceful atmosphere.

The writer is an economist.

chowdhuryjafar@Ymail.com