The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, Dhaka

Awami League finalized its own proposals for placing with the Election Commission at dialogue, opposing major points in the EC-formulated draft politico-electoral recipe, according to party sources.

Awami League advisory council member Abul Mal Abdul Muhit, who was assigned to prepare the draft, submitted his proposals to the party subcommittee concerned in its meeting.

Earlier, the party formed the 21-member subcommittee to review thoroughly the EC's draft proposals for electoral reforms, and this panel would participate in the EC- sponsored dialogue on reform issues on Nov 4.

According to the proposals, AL would oppose a number of the EC-designed conditions, including not using picture of anyone else than party chief on poster, at least 33 percent women on all committees, dismantling front organizations and foreign units, Commission's rules for registration of political parties.

"At the talks, the party will also ask the EC to determine the electoral deposit Tk 5000 instead of 25000 and to simplify the registration rules," said one source.

Sources informed that the party thinks that the EC's rules for registration of the political parties could "hamper the democratic system".

They also will ask the Commission to make a guideline for engaging foreign observers during the holding of the general election, stalled amid the recent political crisis over electoral issues. The party will propose to the EC to make rules amending the provision for forfeiture of security if a candidate gets 1/5 of total vote cast instead of 1/8.

It will raise a demand for declaring political parties that are accused of war crime, militancy, and fundamentalism and engaged in religion-based politics ineligible for taking part in the polls and national politics.