The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Dr ATM Shamsul Huda yesterday said the political parties must apply for registration with the Election Commission (EC) by October 15 for contesting the upcoming parliamentary polls to be held on December 18.

"Political parties will have to apply for registration to the EC for participating in parliamentary elections, " he told the journalists at the EC secretariat.

Election Commissioners M Sohul Hussain and Brig Gen (retd) M Sakhawat

Hossain, EC secretary M Humayun Kabir were present.

Replying to a question on whether the EC would extend the timeframe for political parties registration, Dr Huda said there was no chance of extending the timeframe for party registration.

"The EC would not extend the timeframe for registration as the parliamentary elections would be held in December," he added.

He, however, hoped that the political parties would be able to be registered with the EC within the deadline.

Responding to another query for registration of political parties within the short span of time, the CEC said "We're not worried about the span of time remaining ahead for party registration,".

Asked whether the EC faces any hurdles for holding a free and fair poll in scheduled date, he said the commission was not facing any problem relating to hold parliamentary elections in time.

"We've no problem in holding the elections," he said.

About the second amendment to the revised Representation of People Order (RPO), the CEC said now unregistered political parties would have to get aligned with registered parties by merger for participating in the general election.

Dr Huda said the unregistered political parties, as allies of the registered parties would have to contest the election using the election symbol of the registered political parties.

It may be mentioned that the council of advisers of the caretaker government Monday finally approved a second amendment to the revised RPO to facilitate the political parties' registration with the Election Commission by submitting their provisional party constitution for time constraints.

Brig Gen (retd) M Sakhawat Hossain said that any big political party could complete its registration with the commission in a single day, as the parties now need not hold party council to amend their constitution.

He noted that the big political parties have been working at present to get registered with the commission within the timeframe.