The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

There is still no bar for two former prime ministers-Begum Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina-to contest the forthcoming general elections since they have not yet been convicted in the corruption cases filed against them, said an Election Commissioner.

Talking to reporters at his office yesterday Election Commissioner Muhammad Sohul Hussain, however, said that had they been convicted under the emergency powers rules they would have been ineligible to contest elections even they filed appeal against the conviction.

"If convicted under the emergency rules during the current purge, any aspirant will be ineligible to contest elections even if they file appeal with the higher court against the trial court verdict. "No matter whether it comes to two leaders (Khaleda and Hasina), since the law equally applies to all," he said.

The Election Commissioner said anybody convicted for more than two years under conventional law, and his or her appeal not granted, is disqualified to contest the elections.

His comments came following the Chief Adviser's interview with the Time Magazine in which he said allowing or barring the two former prime ministers from the polls depends solely on the Election Commission (EC). According to the Constitution and the electoral laws, convicts handed down two or more years' jail term may be barred from the polls.

Replying to a question on lifting the emergency, Sohul Hussain said relaxing or lifting the emergency depends solely on the Caretaker Government. He hoped that all restrictions would be lifted to facilitate smooth campaigning prior to the elections.

The Election Commissioner further said if the political parties inform the EC of their problems in carrying out election activities due to emergency, the commission would then tell the government to relax it.

Replying to another question he said all objections should be heard and resolved through the intervention of the court.

Asked whether Begum Zia would be able to contest the elections though she is yet register her name in the voter list, Sohul Hussain said if she (Khaleda) wants to participate in the polls, she must enroll as a voter before the election schedules are announced.

About the fate of loan defaulters, he said the EC has evolved a way to rapidly identify the defaulters during the scrutiny of their nomination papers to screen them out.

"We'll tell Bangladesh Bank to ask its branches across the country to make a list of the defaulters who are likely to contest the upcoming elections so that the defaulters could be rapidly identified during the scrutiny of their nomination papers," he said.

Meanwhile, Election Commissioner Brig Gen (Retd) M Shakhawat Hossain told reporters that those who exchanged Eid greetings through pasting their colorful posters in a veiled campaign would be considered transgressors of the electoral rules.

He said the Election Commission would send notice (letters) to the deputy Commissioners, superintendents of Police and the election officials concerned across the country to make a list of those people who published the colorful posters for exchanging the Eid compliments.