Majhar Mannan :
Violence in the local government elections in Bangladesh seems to have become a common affair. Violence erupted in the first round of union council elections, when five people were killed, and in the second round, 27 people were killed, raising concerns among the people and creating a kind of unease over the election. In the face of electoral violence, the CEC said, it is not possible to stop electoral violence by guarding houses. The CSE has come up with a new formula to curb violence and the formula is, those involved in the election must maintain tolerance and conduct the election in a fair manner. Assuming that the CEC has given the statement of responsibility but it is not possible to run the election process by word of mouth or request, it requires strict action and strategic position. Elections are a sensitive issue where the issue of victory or defeat is deeply intertwined and no candidate wants to be easily defeated in an election.
According to the CEC, the reasons behind the violence in the Union Council elections are previous hostilities and local conflicts. Since the Election Commission is aware of the reasons behind these conflicts, doubts and questions have arisen in the minds of the people as to why the Election Commission is not taking appropriate action accordingly. CEC claims that law enforcement is adequately deployed in each of the centers, but that the violence is invisible to law enforcement, making it impossible to control it. Experts say the escalation of violence and bloodshed over the union council elections is worrying and is destroying the culture of elections and at the same time questioning the image of elections in the international arena. There was a time when there was no such thing as violence in the Union Parishad elections but today violence seems to have become a common occurrence in these UP elections. It is the constitutional duty of the Election Commission to conduct a peaceful election in any local or national election and the Election Commission cannot shirk its responsibility if there is any violence in such elections. The Election Commission has urged the candidates to abide by the Code of Conduct. If the candidates violate the Code of Conduct, the Commission may take stern action as they have been given the power to do so but questions have been raised in the minds of the public and experts as to whether the role of the commission in controlling the code of conduct for election candidates is on the right track. Experts believe that it is the responsibility of the commission to ensure fair elections and if that is not the case then it is the responsibility of the commission. The Commission has a number of options at its disposal to end electoral violence and if one option fails then other options can be implemented by the Commission and in this case the goodwill of the Commission is paramount. Local government elections were held in a very festive atmosphere and people voted spontaneously but because of this violence people no longer dare to go to the polls. Electoral violence and bloodshed are creating panic among the common people and creating a crisis of confidence in the Election Commission and this is not a good sign at all but it may have a negative impact on the upcoming elections. Experts say that in case of election violence, the judicial process should be expedited and made more effective.
Political parties, along with the Election Commission, have a huge role to play in ensuring fair elections. Articles 118 to 126 of the Constitution describe the various powers of the Election Commission, their functions and their objectives and policies. The Election Commission is completely independent and neutral in discharging its duties and constitutionally obligated by oath to ensure fair and impartial elections at all levels. The Election Commission is a body with which all the political parties have a direct and indirect bond and with the sincerity of the political parties the Commission can lead the way to fair elections. The Election Commission is constitutionally responsible for preparing the equal ground for elections and ensuring the safety of voters.
Some researchers believe that if local elections had been held in the previous system without party symbols, such violence would not have spread. During the election, one side becomes desperate to oust its opponent and this kind of violence spreads more rapidly. The Election Commission must act as a real catalyst and referee, and such violence can be stopped.
There is no substitute for fair elections in order to establish peace in a democratic country but sadly in recent times there is a growing tendency among many candidates to think about how to get elected or win without voting. However, if the Election Commission fails to give the gift of a non-violent and peaceful election, the spirit of the Liberation War and the spirit of democracy will soon be lost.
(Majhar Mannan is Assistant Professor, BAF Shaheen
College, Kurmitola).
