The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

In response to the demands of major political parties, the Election Commission (EC) has decided to bring some changes in the recently amended Representation of the People Order (RPO) to ease party registration rules.

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Dr ATM Shamsul Huda disclosed this yesterday while addressing a press conference at the EC Secretariat in the city.

"A few small amendments will have to be brought to the recently promulgated Representation of the People Order (amendment) Ordinance 2008," he said.

Asked whether the EC would ask the government to lift the emergency before parliamentary elections, he said the Commission would request the government to create a congenial atmosphere for holding a free, fair and credible poll.

The CEC said the ensuing parliamentary elections would be held under all new electoral laws and re-demarcated constituencies.

He said the government would permit the political parties to arrange their party council with some 5000 to 10,000 or more party delegates to amend their party constitutions if they feel it necessary in line with new electoral rules.

"As alternative, the parties may bring a temporary amendment to their constitutions and submit those to the Commission pledging necessary changes that are prerequisites for registration. And the temporary constitution would have to be ratified within six months of the first session of Parliament, the CEC said.

He said loan defaulters would be given opportunity to pay their loans till the day before submission of nomination papers. "Amendments will also be made regarding bill defaulters, housing and agricultural loan takers. The ceiling on election expenses would also be amended," he said.

"There is no scope to bypass the electoral reform programmes," he stressed.

Referring to the legal reforms which were made with consultation of the political parties, professional groups and individuals over the last one and a half years, the CEC said, "The political parties will have to come forward leaving behind petty interests."

"We have done our part. The ball is in the court of the political parties. The political parties will have to play the game," he said.

Replying to a question, Dr Shamsul Huda said the announcement of polling dates by the Chief Adviser proved that the EC and the government want to hold a good election on the basis of consensus.

"I was supposed to declare polling dates. But, when I saw that the CA would address the nation, then, after consultation with him, I told him to declare the specific dates for elections in his address to the nation."

He said the announcement has also assured the people that we are determined to hold elections in December.

The CEC said that there would be no problem to hold upazila elections within seven days after the parliamentary polls. "We have given the date as we know it is possible," he added.

The CEC criticised some political parties, particularly the Jamaat-e-Islami and Islami Oikya Jote (IOJ) for shifting their earlier stand on electoral reforms.

"Holding talks with BNP and its allies, we are surprised as Jamaat and IOJ opposed the registration. In the earlier two rounds of talks with the EC, they had reached consensus on some issues. But in the third round, they completely changed their tune," he said on a note of resentment.

About Dhaka City Corporation (DCC) polls, he said the Commission has dropped its plans to hold the DCC polls before the parliamentary elections. "We don't want to keep anything in the intervening period," he said.

He said the schedule for the general and upazila elections would be announced after finalising the voter list across the country.

Election Commissioners-Muhammad Sohul Hossain and Brig Gen (Retd) M Shakhawat Hossain and EC secretary Muhammad Humayun Kabir were present at the press conference.