Sagar Biswas :
Despite intensifying criticism, the Election Commission [EC] has refused to take responsibility for massive violence during the first phase of election in 712 union parishads on March 22 that claimed lives of 24 people and injuring over 1000.
Rather, the EC in a latest twist shifted the blame on the shoulder of administration and political parties for creating anomalous situation in different polling centres.
“Strange! Why EC will take the responsibility if anyone is killed in the electoral clash? The EC doesn’t personally take part in the polls. I don’t see any reason to shoulder the responsibility, if some people clash with their electoral rivals in their locality,” Election Commissioner Md Shahnewaz said on Sunday.
How the EC could avoid responsibility where 24 persons were killed in election? “We had asked the law enforcement agencies to take tough stance against violence. The law breaker won’t be spared whoever he is,” the Election Commissioner said.
Observers said use of party symbol, getting direct nomination from party’s central command, desperate attitude of local leaders to prove their own popularity in the party, unlimited expenditure of money for buying nominations, direct influence of local lawmakers and ministers in favour of candidates – were prime reasons behind the massive violence in the UP elections.
If the EC won’t take responsibility of killings, then the political parties would have to take blame, what do you think? Md Shahnewaz said, “You can inquire who will be responsible for the killings and violence…. We [EC] always try to hold election in line with the law.”
There is widespread allegation that EC could not play strong role neither in pre-poll violence, nor in poll-day violence. Not only that several people were also killed in the post-poll violence due to indifferent attitude of EC.
In this situation, the second phase of UP election is going to be held on January 31. Local sources said that a section of people are trying to spread panic among the voters and general people targetting the election. There are also reports of attack on minority people in different areas.
About apprehension of widespread violence during second phase, Md Shahnewaz said, “We have already issued directives to the law enforcement agencies to take hard line in the second phase of election. The number of security members from different agencies will remain almost same like the first phase.”
Questions have been raised among the concerned circle why the incidents of violence are increasing centering the UP elections this time? Is it for holding the election using party symbol for the first time? In the earlier days, a festive mood was seen during the elections in lowest tier of local government.
“The EC doesn’t make law in which way the UP elections to be held. Instead, the National Parliament makes law whether the lowest tier local government election to be held using party symbol, or not. EC’s only responsibility is to implement the law.”
Meanwhile, Sushasoner Jonno Nagorik [SUJAN], a civil society platform working for good governance, has alleged that the ongoing UP election is not holding in a systematic way.
“We think, the UP election is not holding in fair and acceptable manner. The UP election has created huge problems instead of getting solutions to the problem.
Actually, the electoral system has broken due to nomination business. A new business circle has been created without investing any capital. The ruling party is mainly responsible for the situation,” Badiul Alam Mazumdar, Secretary of SUJAN, said on Sunday.
