The New Nation - Internet Edition

BSS, Dhaka

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Dr ATM Shamsul Huda said here on Sunday that all preparations were going on in full swing to hold the elections to the 9th Jatiya Sangsad on schedule.

"The Election Commission (EC) will strictly follow the law and nothing could be done beyond the Representation of People Order (RPO)t the EC is very clear on this point.", he said in an exclusive interview with BSS.

He, however, said prior to the announcement of the schedule on November 2, the EC needs a court decision on the issue of delimitation of 133 constituencies as those were stayed following objections.

The intending candidates are also not sure what will be the exact areas of their constituencies, he added.

On the participation of the political parties in the polls, the CEC said the Election Commission had talks with 16 political parties and all of them have applied for registration.

This, he said, "indicates that they are going to participate in the elections."

Asked if the two leaders like Sheikh Hasina and Begum Khaleda Zia will be allowed to contest the elections, he said everything would go in accordance with law.

"Neither there is any special barrier nor any special privilege," he added.

He pointed out that under the present law only the persons convicted by the court under the emergency would be barred from contesting the polls. As of today there is no legal bar on the two leaders to participate in the elections, he added.

"Our main objective is to create an atmosphere conducive to the holding of free and fair election," he pointed out.

Asked if the state of emergency will affect the holding of free and fair polls, the CEC said there are certain provisions in the emergency which might create obstacles.

But "we have asked the government to repeal or relax those provisions like holding of rallies, processions, use of loud speakers etc."

The political parties should sort it out with the government, the CEC said adding, how far the government or the political parties will go on this point is their matter.

Replying to a question on the preparations for holding elections, Dr Huda said we have got transparent ballot boxes and fair voter list, which many of us once thought would be impossible.

Transparent ballot boxes have already been sent to the district and upazila levels.

The CEC said the commission made a target to set up 36,000 polling stations across the country and those have already been identified.

He, however, said one could raise objection to such a polling centre citing reasons and this will be settled following consultation with the local administration.

Answering another question on the set up of administration, Dr Huda said many political parties have raised objection with regard to the role of administration during the elections, "We have asked the government to look into those," he added.

The CEC said there have been many changes in the administration. Changes have also been made in the police administration and now officers-in-charge of many police stations, who had been serving there for a long time are being transferred.

On the registration of local poll observers Dr Huda said most of the political parties are not in favour of allowing the local observers to oversee the polls saying that most of these observers are partisan.

He said a guideline is being prepared prescribing do's and don'ts for the poll observers. Any one going beyond this guideline will be expelled from the polling centres.