Staff Reporter
The Election Commission and Ministry of Home Affairs are at loggerheads for capturing power of providing National Identity (NID) cards and other interrelated services to the people.
Chief Election Commissioner KM Nurul Huda on Sunday categorically said NID card related services should remain under the EC.
“We think the NID card should remain under the Election Commission. Because, the EC created it on the basis of preparation of the voter list… the NID cards came as by-product of the voter list in the country,” he told reporters at the Nirbachan Bhaban in the city.
He made the remarks in the wake of the government’s move to shift the NID card-related services from the EC to the Security Services Division under the Home Ministry.
The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) has already instructed the Cabinet Division to take necessary steps to shift NID-related services to the Home Ministry’s Security Services Division.
Security Services Division Secretary Mokabbir Hossain and Election Commission Secretary Humayun Kabir Khandaker have confirmed the matter to the media saying that they have in the meantime received the copy of the PMO letter that was issued on Monday last.
But expressing dissatisfaction, the CEC yesterday said there was no discussion with the EC earlier over shifting the NID services to the Security Services Division. Few days ago, the EC just received a letter over it. Then it was discussed in the Commission’s meeting, he said.
He further said the Director General of NID Registration Wing was asked to prepare a report in this regard. The report will be given to the Cabinet Secretary.
CEC said the shifting issue of NID service is at the very primary stage of discussion. It can’t be shifted just by giving a letter. “It is a very tough task,” he added.
Mentioning the government’s logic behind the move, he said the government’s suggestion is that the NID services are not under the Election Commission in other countries.
“It is true that the EC doesn’t render the services in other countries. But the situation of Bangladesh should not be compared with that of other countries in this case. There would be no problem if it remains under the EC. The EC is able to render its services,” he said.
In other countries, the NID services are under either the Home Ministry, local government ministry, law ministry or a separate body, said the CEC.
But there is also no voter registration campaign in many countries as well. Since the countries have proper birth registration programmes, the people become voters automatically just after they cross 18, he said.
But the situation in the South Asian countries is different as there is no proper infrastructure to fix the age of people. “So, if the NID services remain under the EC, there is no problem. It is our logic,” he added.
Nurul Huda said the EC Secretary will try to convince the government through discussions about the government’s thoughts. In reply to a question if there would be any problem if the NID services and the electoral roll are under two separate agencies, he said, “There would be a problem. Because, the EC prepares the voter list and fixes the age of voters. The EC has been doing this for long.”
“If the EC prepares the voter list and the NID will be under different authority, the matter of subordination or superiority comes with the particular ministry. It is not accepted in the Constitution,” he said adding that the EC would remain separated from any other ministry.
Officilas said the PMO has instructed the Cabinet Division regarding the matter. For that, many laws and rules will need to be changed and after that the responsibilities will be shifted.
Currently, NID-related services are being provided under the Election Commission, which has developed the NID database containing information on 100 million citizens aged above 18. The NID services include issuing secure national identity cards to citizens, administering all related activities, including maintaining a national citizen registration database and delivering identity verification services to qualified public and private organisations.
An NID wing was established following the enactment of the National Identity Registration Act 2010. Country launched NID cards with photographs in 2007-2008, as part of updating the voter list.
The PMO made the move after the Home Ministry in July last year sent a proposal to the office saying all activities regarding NIDs should be handed over to the ministry.
In a response, the PMO in August directed the Cabinet Division to submit a report with its views on the matter and a seven-member committee was formed in this regard
.Meanwhile, Sushashoner Jonno Nagorik (Shujan), a civil society platform for good governance, released a statement on Sunday expressing concern over the decision to entrust the NID services to the Ministry of Home Affairs instead of the Election Commission.
M Hafizuddin Khan, president, and Badiul Alam Majumder, secretary, of the organization said that they were deeply concerned about this decision.
The preparation of voter list is the responsibility of the EC, and work of NID registration is involved with the process of compiling the voters’ list. Therefore, the responsibility of NID registration should stay with the Election Commission, they said. On the other hand, the Bangladesh Election Commission Officers’ Association is already protesting the decision, the statement said.
