The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, Manikganj

The onus of bringing war criminals to justice lies with government and the next government is to try them if the incumbent one cannot, said Chief Election Commissioner Dr ATM Shamsul Huda Monday.

On another major issue being taken with the EC at the ongoing dialogue with politicians on electoral reforms, he said there wouldn' t be any limits on educational qualifications of the candidates to contest elections in 2008. "But," the CEC categorically said, "the candidates will have to make public their eight kinds of information. This will make people aware about the candidates' qualifications."

About voter-listing problem with women, the CEC said the Election Commission has nothing to do if anyone doesn't want to take photograph, which is necessary to be enrolled in the voter list, since being voter is not mandatory in the country's Constitution. "There is nothing to do for the Election Commission… To be voter is not mandatory in our Constitution… But the national identity card is very much important," he said when pointed out that women at many places do not want to be photographed for religious inhibition. The Chief Election Commissioner made the important observations while addressing a view-exchange meeting held at Manikganj Govt. Debendra College auditorium.

He visited the activities of national identity (NID) card and voter registration in the district, part of the current countrywide exercise preparatory to next elections.

According to the EC's draft reform proposals on electoral reforms, the eight pieces of candidate information are like academic qualifications, criminal records, description of occupation, source of income, fulfillment of electoral promises if elected earlier, description of assets and liabilities, including family members. There were 18 percent fake voters on the voter list under which the elections were going to be held in 2007, CEC Huda disclosed, adding that honest and qualified persons could not be elected with such a voter list.

"There will be maximum one percent flaws on the voter list now in the making…We want to create such an atmosphere so that dishonest persons, black money holders and musclemen can't take part in elections," he said.

Asked about the expatriates' registration as voter, CEC Huda said the decision has not yet been taken. "The two other Election Commissioners are abroad now. The decision might be taken when they will come back. But the probability of casting vote in 2008 by the expatriates is thin."

The CEC directed the enumerators of voter list project that those who would attain the age of 18 on January 1, 2008 would also have to be included in the list now.

"As per the voter list ordinance 2007, one can be registered in the voter list at only one place and s/he will have to cast their vote only at that place," CEC Huda reminded.

Reaffirming their tough stance against vote fraud of the past times, he said it would ensured this time around that no "terrorists, goons or musclemen" could grab the polling-stations in the elections in 2008.