CONTROVERSY arises in the Election Commission centering the recruiting process of new officials allegedly not taking consent from four commissioners. The Commissioners on Sunday sent a letter to the Chief Election Commissioner expressing their dissatisfaction over the issue. The latest anomaly has been surfaced at a time when people have lost faith on overall electoral system for subservient role of the EC, and its failure in ensuring level playing field for all contestants in the elections. Widespread corruptions in NID project and procuring EVM machines have tarnished the image of EC.
Media report said about 85,893 candidates took part in the recruitment exam against the vacant posts of 339. It raised question when EC secretariat expelled 135 candidates for cheating in the exams but didn’t take any legal action. One of the Election Commissioners, Mahbub Talukdar, yesterday claimed that Commission has paid Tk 4 crore 8 lakh to a department of Dhaka University for preparing questions and examining answer papers. But Commission failed to produce any document about the expenditure. In this regard, EC Senior Secretary Md Alamgir said the appointment and financial issues were outside the purview of the Commission, and the EC secretariat took steps on the issues upon the Chief Election Commissioner’s approval. We think, this type of dictatorial process is violation of the Constitution, Representation of the People Order 1972, Election Commission Secretariat Act-2009 and other related rules.
The question that is most important is what is the justification of the present officials, especially Chief of the Commission, when the government can openly use police for robbing national election denying the people their right to choose the government? Since the Commission cannot be useful for free election it feels free to indulge in all sorts of abuse of power and corruption which is the way of running public affairs.
When the Election Commission is helpless and useless, we see no reason for wasting more money by recruiting 339 officials by using corruption or abusing power. It is sad and disappointment for the whole nation to find public functionaries not honest about public duties. They do not mind betraying their personal conscience and national obligation.
