Staff Reporter :
Expressing disappointment over incidents of electoral code of conduct violation, Election Commissioner Mahbub Talukdar called for bold steps against electoral code of conduct violations, ahead of the February 1 Dhaka city corporation elections to restore the people’s faith on the Commission.
“The lack of faith in the commission cannot be fixed if it does not take immediate measures against violations of the electoral code of conduct,” Talukdar said in a letter to the chief election commissioner this evening.
Citing several instances of code of conduct violations, Talukdar put forward a letter to the Chief Election Commissioner KM Nurul Huda, other commissioners and two returning officers, drawing their attention to the issue.
Claiming that there are a number of allegations over affidavits of the candidates, Talukdar said the EC’s inaction in verifying the affidavits is affecting the image of the commission.
He alleged in the letter that the executive magistrates are not addressing instances where the electoral code of conduct has been violated.
Talukdar said he put forward an unofficial note calling upon the commission to publish a circular with the view to stop electioneering activities of lawmakers.
Meanwhile, a lawmaker is still engaged in carrying out campaign activities ahead of the Dhaka city corporation elections according to a newspaper report, he said.
Another lawmaker has already announced the intention to address a function in Dhaka, to be held marking the birth centenary of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, he added. “In this circumstance, I think it is necessary to publish a circular with specific guidelines,” he said in the letter.
