EC specifies conditions for electoral reform talks

The Election Commission (EC) would hold dialogue on electoral reform only with those political parties, which would fulfill the conditions for their registration. Of these the parties, which baged least at one seat in any election after the independence or got two-third majority would be given priority for the talks.

Election Commissioner Brig Gen (Retd) Shakhawat Hossain said this while briefing journalists at his office yesterday. "The dialogue will start when the political parties will be getting ready for this after the withdrawal of on the indoor politics," he said.

Brig Gen (Retd) Shakhawat said the EC is ready to hold dialogue with the political parties but they would also be getting ready to this end.

"We are waiting for withdrawal of ban on indoor politics. After withdrawal of the ban on indoor politics; we will invite the political parties which will be eligible in accordance with the conditions to be registered as a political party," he said. He, however, said that it would not be sufficient to withdraw ban on indoor politics; rather the political parties have to be given times for their preparations.

The Election Commissioner said the EC has prepared a form for those parties, which would not be able to fulfill the first two conditions. As per the third condition, it would be examined whether these political parties have executive committees and offices at district and upazila levels.

Each party has at least one thousand members at district level. Those parties could be able to fulfill the condition they would be considered for taking part in the talks.

Replying to a question, the Election Commissioner told reporters that Bangladesh Mashjid Mission would be given the responsibility to encourage the people through mosque-based publicity to be enlisted in the voter enrolment with photographs. The EC in a meeting yesterday took a proposal in this regard, he said.

Meanwhile, a 16-member delegation of Bangladesh Masjid Mission led by Principal Maulana Zainul Abedin yesterday called on with the EC officials. A meeting was held with the delegation with CEC Dr ATM Shamsul Huda in the chair.

During the meeting, they proposed that they would voluntarily carry on publicity in mosques across the country to be enlisted in the voter list with photographs.

Maulana Zainul Abedin told reporters that taking photographs to be enlisted falls under the purview of the government activities as like as it is needed for performing hajj and getting a passport.

He said it is very essential to be enlisted in voter enrolment by taking a photograph for the sake of holding an election free from manipulation

He, however, said that the delegation requested the commission to preserve the photographs only for using state activities and holding polls.