A five-member search committee over the reconstitution of the Election Commission (EC) will be formed within a day or two, President’s Press Secretary Joynal Abedin confirmed on Tuesday.
As the President Abdul Hamid’s dialogue with political parties over the EC’s reconstitution ended on 18 January, work on forming the search committee is going on in full swing.
The President initiated the talks on 18 December last year as the five-year tenure of the incumbent EC expires on February 8.
When contacted President’s Press Secretary Joynal Abedin told The New Nation that a letter relating to form the search committee will be sent to the cabinet division by this week.
Based on recommendations and proposals given to the President by the political parties during the talks, a search committee will be formed for the appointment of the next Chief Election Commissioner and Election Commissioners.
Abdul Hamid is now assessing and examining the recommendations and proposals in order to form a five-member search committee following the tradition set by his predecessor late president Zillur Rahman in 2012. Although during talks, most of the political parties proposed enactment of a law over the recruitment of the CEC and election commissioners, the proposal seems to go unheeded, as government does not want it this time, sources said.
Meanwhile, President Abdul Hamid held an exclusive meeting with the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday after the beginning of 14th session of the 10th Jatiya Sangsad.
The government will publish a gazette notification containing the names of the members of search committee after obtaining the President’s letter. However, before publishing the gazette notification, the President’s letter will be sent to the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for her approval.
Later, the members of search committee will draft the names of CEC and other election commissioners and it will be sent to the President. As per the committee’s recommendation, the President will appoint the CEC and other election commissioner who will conduct the next general elections scheduled to be held in 2019. The President held meetings with a total of 31 political parties beginning with BNP on December 18, 2016.
During the month-long talks, the political parties separately placed a series of proposals and most of them proposed making a law for formation of EC.
Ruling Awami League (AL) led by its President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina met President Abdul Hamid on January 11. AL’s proposals included introduction of e-voting in the next general elections and making a law for formation of EC.
During the talks, BNP put forward a set of proposals for the formation of a search committee and the new EC. It also proposed strengthening the EC and amending the Representation of the People Order (RPO).
Jatiya Party (Ershad) gave a five-point proposal over constitution of the next EC and proposed making a law regarding Constitution of the new EC.
Other major parties that joined the talks were Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), Workers Party (WP), Bangladesh Nationalist Front (BNF), Islami Oikya Jote (IOJ), Jatiya Party (Manju), Bangladesh Tarikat Federation (BTF), Bangladesh Jatiya Party (BJP) Bangladesher Samyabadi Dal (BSD), National Awami Party (NAP), Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB), Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD), Gano Forum (GF), Ganotontri Party (GP), Bangladesh Khelafat Andolan (BKA), Bikalpa Dhara Bangladesh (BDB), Islami Andolan Bangladesh (IAB), Bangladesher Samajtantrik Dal (BSD), Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (Ambia), Bangladesh Islami Front (BIF), Zaker Party (ZP) and Bangladesh Muslim League (BML), Khilafat Majlish and Jamiat e Ulama e Islam Bangladesh.
In 2012, late president Zillur Rahman first formed a four-member search committee following the dialogue with 24 political parties before the formation of the incumbent election commission headed by Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmad.
The committee was headed by an appellate division judge and also comprised a High Court judge, the comptroller and auditor general and the chairman of the Public Service Commission.
The then committee recommended two names against the vacant post of the chief election commissioner and two for each of the election commissioners.
As per the committee’s recommendation, the then president appointed Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmad the CEC, while Mohammad Abdul Mobarak, Abu Hafiz, Zabed Ali and Md Shah Nawaz election commissioners.
