The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

The Election Commission (EC) will finalise electoral laws by the end of this month after holding dialogue with BNP in time.

We hope we will be able to finalise the electoral laws by this month in accordance with the court direction on BNP's representation, Election Commissioner Brig Gen (Retd) Mohammad Sakhawat Hossain said this while talking to reporters at the EC Secretariat yesterday.

Election Commissioner Muhammad Sohul Hossain, who also explained the present stand of the Commission, said the Commission is now reviewing the feedback that it received from the political parties during the two round of dialogue.

"We will finalise them after the dialogue with the BNP," he echoed with his colleague.

He further said the Commission would sit with the BNP within a week after having of court verdict on the matter.

Sakhawat Hossain said the Commission would sit twice in dialogue with the BNP as it had with other parties to finalise the draft laws.

He reiterated that the electoral laws would not be finalised without holding talks with the BNP.

Asked whether the local government polls would be held before the national polls or both would be staged simultaneously he said the Commission is yet to make any decision in this regard.

A total of 15 political parties, including the Awami League (AL), Jamaat-e-Islami, Jatiya Party and Islami Oikya Jote (IOJ) took part in the two-round of dialogues with the EC ended on February 29.

However, the EC could not hold talks with the BNP due to legal complication as a writ petition is pending with the higher court as to which faction should be invited to the dialogue.