The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

Leaders of Jamaat-e-Islami yesterday challenged the jurisdiction of the Election Commission (EC) to bringing electoral reforms.

The challenge was thrown during the dialogue with the EC on electoral reforms held at its Secretariat. The dialogue was held as part of the commission's ongoing programme for the second-round of dialogue with political parties on electoral reforms.

The 10-member Jamaat delegation, headed by party Secretary General Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojaheed, observed as per the Constitution the job of the Caretaker Government and the Election Commission is to hold the elections within 90 days and not to carry out reforms in the elections laws. Responding to the Jamaat delegation Chief Election Commissioner Dr ATM Shamsul Huda said the EC would have to formulate the laws as it would hold the elections.

He said it has been done in different countries and he thinks there would not be any problem with it.

"The question is whether we are within our mandate or not. Yes, we are. Our duty is holding the elections so we are formulating the laws that are needed for it. But the Law Ministry will enact the laws," the CEC said.

The Jamaat delegation demanded the Election Commission (EC) to announce the election date immediately as per the roadmap announced by the Commission.

The Jamaat leaders also demanded the Commission not to hold the local government elections and leave those for the next elected government.

They endorsed the Commission's proposal for disqualifying convicted war criminals for lifetime from contesting elections.

However, the Jamaat leaders strongly opposed the recommendations made by other parties to ban politics of religion-based political parties.

They termed such demand as an attack on the belief and values of the people of this country and suggested that the EC to work neutrally for the sake of proper elections.

Jamaat leader Barrister Abdur Razzak asked why the EC is considering an

issue not raised by any major political parties of the country, including Awami League and BNP.

"It will not be wise to bring up such an issue about which there is no popular demand in the country, no demand from the political parties," he said, adding, "The Election Commission should not make any recommendation that would create new debates whether the EC is going beyond its constitutional duties."

The Jamaat leaders opposed the use of transparent ballot boxes during the elections; rather they suggested using steel boxes. They also suggested the EC not to keep the provision of giving 'no' votes in the ballot papers.

They urged the EC not to finalise the electoral reforms before holding dialogue with the BNP.

The Jamaat delegation includes Mohammad Quamaruzzaman, Maulana Delwar Hossain Sayedee, Abdul Kader Mollah, ATM Azharul Islam Barrister Abdur Razzak and Advocate Jasim Uddin Sarker.

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Dr ATM Shamsul Huda explained that one faction of the BNP was invited to the dialogue considering the party's constitution and the history of the past activities of the party as there was no scope to invite the two factions.

"But electoral reforms will be finalised after holding dialogue with the BNP as per directive of the court," he added.

Earlier, the Commission held dialogue with Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (Inu) and NAP (Mozaffar) on electoral reforms.

Leaders of JSD asked the Commission to ban political parties backed by war criminals.

"We demanded that the parties supported by war criminals should be declared unfit for elections and they should be banned," JSD President Hasanul Haque Inu told reporters.

JSD also placed a number of proposals to the EC, including: relaxing registration conditions for parties, allowing scope for minor loan defaulters to participate in elections and not delimitating constituencies.

Election commissioners-M Sakhawat Hossain and Muhammed Sohul Hossain and Secretary of the EC Secretariat Muhammad Humayun Kabir, among others, attended during the dialogue.