The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

Declaration of election schedules for four city corporations and seven pourashavas has become uncertain, as the ordinance on city corporation and porashova polls is yet to be finalised.

"The schedules for city corporation and porashava elections will not be declared until the Election Commission (EC) gets the gazette notification of the new laws governing the local bodies," Chief Election Commissioner Dr ATM Shamsul Huda said this while talking to reporters yesterday after a meeting with an 8-member delegation of Bangladesh Hindu-Buddhist-Christian Oikya Parishad (BHBCOP).

"I cannot tell whether the poll schedule will be declared within this month," the CEC said.

He said complete ordinance should be proclaimed before announcement of election schedule and added, "We have already asked the government to approve the ordinance as early as possible since we will not be able to announce the schedule without getting the ordinance."

The CEC said he has clearly apprised the Law Adviser that the gazette notification of the laws would have to be in our hand before announcing the election schedule.

Replying to a question he said it is early to say whether a date for Parliament election can be announce by June next. "Let the month of June to come, then it can be considered."

On a query about the Election Commission Secretariat Ordinance 2008, the CEC said the EC secretariat would be accountable only for the administrative tasks that would be directed by the secretary to the EC.

"But, the core tasks of the Commission would have to be done by all the members of the Commission. It can't be done unilaterally," he said adding that majority opinion would be granted if there would not be unanimous decision about any matter.

About the meeting with the BHBCOP, the CEC said the delegation asked the EC to look into the matter of any "repression on the minorities" during the election period.

Talking to the reporters, BOBCOP leader Prof. Neem Chandra Bhoumik said they asked the EC to make the election code of conduct in such a way so that racism and religion issue could not be used since the political parties use it during the election campaign.

The delegation, claiming representation of 20 per cent minority in the country's population, also demanded of the EC to secure their 20 per cent representation on the committees of political parties and reserved seats in parliament to ensure their representation.