The New Nation - Internet Edition

Bdnews24.com, Dhaka

Chief election commissioner ATM Shamsul Huda has stressed that it is the responsibility of political parties to endorse honest and qualified candidates, not the Election Commission.

"The duty of a referee does not include selecting a team's players, in the same way it is not the responsibility of the Election Commission to endorse honest and qualified candidates," the CEC told a views exchange programme at the National Economic Council auditorium yesterday

"Political parties must take that responsibility," Huda said at the discussion on 'Code of Conduct for the media during the elections'.

"The commission cannot be responsible for the outcome of all election activities," he said.

The function of the EC was specified in the constitution, added the CEC.

Huda said that during electoral dialogues, political parties had recommended forming a code of conduct for the media and observers.

The commission had regulations for observers but had not finalised one for the media, he said.

UNESCO, however, provided the commission technical assistance in drafting regulations for the media, Huda said.

The policy does not mean any control over the media, but mutual cooperation, he stressed.

ATN Bangla's Saiful Bari pointed out that there were some contradictory clauses in the draft regulations.

At one place it states that nothing can be said against a candidate while at another place it says that the media should disclose information about the candidate, he said.