The New Nation - Internet Edition

BSS, Dhaka

The Election Commission (EC) has drawn up new guidelines for local observers to monitor polls.

Under the guidelines, the local election observers will need to be registered with the EC to oversee elections, an EC source told BSS on Friday, adding, "No local observer would be allowed to monitor the upcoming general polls without being registered with the EC."

The source said the EC would circulate a notification within the next week requesting the interested election monitoring organisations for seeking registration.

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Dr ATM Shamsul Huda said the list of interested organizations would be made public through advertisements and complaints against any organization, if received, would be inquired.

According to the guidelines, an organisation would be able to monitor any polls within one year of getting the registration, said Public Relations Officer of the EC Secretariat SM Asaduzzaman.

After the one-year period, if any organisation wants to monitor elections, it will have to apply again for registration, he said adding that besides monitoring polling activities at centres and booths, the registered organisations can monitor counting of votes.

The EC would allow only two organisations to monitor the elections in an upazila, he said.

EC Secretary Mohammad Humayun Kabir said the EC had taken the initiatives for bringing some changes in the election monitoring rules as there were some questions raised about the observers in the past.

He, however, said the provisions for the foreign observers would remain the same.

According to the new guidelines, the EC would inform the organisations within 15 days of submission of their applications whether they were accepted. If the chief executive of an organisation or any member of its governing body or its managing committee is found to be worker or leader of any political party, the EC will not grant its prayer.

The concerned organisations would be able to appeal before the EC for hearing on the rejection within three days after it receives the notice from the EC. After the hearing the EC would give the final report within seven days.

After giving final approval to any organisation, the EC would issue certificate of approval in favour of the organisation within seven days and the registration would be valid for one year unless the EC cancels it.

The EC would be able to withdraw the registration of any organisation if there is a proof of violation of code of conduct by it. But before cancellation of the approval, the EC would send a letter to the organisation with necessary proofs, and the concerned organisation would get five days' time for requesting the EC to arrange hearing on the allegation.

Within the next seven days after the hearing, the EC would, in writing, inform the organisation about its decision.

The registered organisations would be given the authority of selecting observers, providing them with training, and sending reports based on their monitoring to the EC.