The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, Dhaka

The Council of Advisers of the caretaker government yesterday approved in principle the Upazila Parishad Ordinance 2008 to create two seats of vice-chairman in the local-government body, one reserved for women.

The ordinance provides that the chairman and two vice-chairmen of the Upazila Parishad will be directly elected by voters. Union Parishad Chairmen, Municipal Mayors and elected women members to the reserved seats of wards under the upazila concerned would be members of the Upazila Parishad.

A meeting of the council of advisers with Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed in the chair sent the draft of the ordinance in the light of some suggestions for vetting by the Law Ministry and asked for placing it again before the council "as soon as possible".

Under the new ordinance, dispute regarding election can not be filed in any other court except for election tribunal. The election tribunal and election appellate tribunal will have to dispose of the dispute cases within a fixed timeframe.

The complaint will have to be placed with the election tribunal within 30 days of gazette notification and the tribunal has to dispose of the case within 180 days.

The litigant can further appeal against tribunal verdict within 30days while the appellate tribunal will have to dispose it of in 120 days.

"If upazila parishad chairman or vice-chairmen hold any post at any level of any political party, he or she will have to resign before taking oath," says the new law, being made ahead of election to the revived local body.

The candidates for upazila parishad election will have to submit declaration that the person is not disqualified for election in submitting nomination papers. The candidates will have to submit their wealth statement before being sworn in.

Provision has been kept in the ordinance that if the outgoing upazila parishad failed to hand over office to the incoming elected parishad in presence of a first-class magistrate, then maximum 3 years.

imprisonment and maximum Tk 20,000 in fines will be awarded to the delinquents.

"If anyone is accused as war criminal by national or international tribunal, they would be disqualified for contesting the upazila parishad election like other local elections," says the ordinance.

The council of advisers also approved amendment to the National Board of Revenue Order 1972. As a result, the government can appoint Secretary or Additional Secretary to the government as chairman of the NBR.

In the existing rule, the NBR chairman is appointed by the government from the members of the National Board of Revenue.

Advisers and special assistants to the Chief Adviser attended the meeting at the CA's office. Cabinet.

Secretary, CA's press secretary and secretaries concerned were also present.