UNB, Dhaka :
Visiting former Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) of India Dr SY Quraishi on Monday said there is nothing wrong with any unopposed election, but it is a ‘matter of thinking’ if it happens on a large scale.
“There’s nothing wrong…if a large number of MPs get elected unopposed, then, I’ll have to think about what I’ll have to do in such a situation because this sort of situation never happened in India,” he said replying to a query about large-scale uncontested election.
He also said that uncontested election also happens even in India.
Quraishi was addressing a seminar organized by BRAC Institute of Governance and Development (BIGD) of BRAC University at the Daily Star Centre in the afternoon.
Former CEC of Bangladesh Dr ATM Shamsul Huda also spoke at the seminar moderated by BIGD adviser Barrister Manzoor Hasan.
Replying to another query, Dr Quraishi said the role of the Election Commission should ensure the voting of everyone. However, the boycott of election is totally democratic. None should prevent or force anyone to exercise their franchise or not, he added.
About the pressure from the government on the Indian Election Commission, he said, “I’ve not seen any pressure
(during his tenure as CEC).” In India, Quraishi said, the opposition and the media are very alert over the election-related issues. The people and the opposition trust the commission there, he added.
“The election what is free and fair is credible and the election what is credible is free and fair,” he said replying to a question what is different between free and fair election with election system legitimacy.
Dr, Quraishi, is on a visit to Bangladesh as part of a ‘curtain raiser’ to the 16th Lok Sabha (General) Elections in India scheduled from April 7 to May 12, 2014.
Describing different aspects of Indian elections, the former Indian CEC said elections in his country never missed the deadline and credibility of the polls never challenged.
Visiting former Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) of India Dr SY Quraishi on Monday said there is nothing wrong with any unopposed election, but it is a ‘matter of thinking’ if it happens on a large scale.
“There’s nothing wrong…if a large number of MPs get elected unopposed, then, I’ll have to think about what I’ll have to do in such a situation because this sort of situation never happened in India,” he said replying to a query about large-scale uncontested election.
He also said that uncontested election also happens even in India.
Quraishi was addressing a seminar organized by BRAC Institute of Governance and Development (BIGD) of BRAC University at the Daily Star Centre in the afternoon.
Former CEC of Bangladesh Dr ATM Shamsul Huda also spoke at the seminar moderated by BIGD adviser Barrister Manzoor Hasan.
Replying to another query, Dr Quraishi said the role of the Election Commission should ensure the voting of everyone. However, the boycott of election is totally democratic. None should prevent or force anyone to exercise their franchise or not, he added.
About the pressure from the government on the Indian Election Commission, he said, “I’ve not seen any pressure
(during his tenure as CEC).” In India, Quraishi said, the opposition and the media are very alert over the election-related issues. The people and the opposition trust the commission there, he added.
“The election what is free and fair is credible and the election what is credible is free and fair,” he said replying to a question what is different between free and fair election with election system legitimacy.
Dr, Quraishi, is on a visit to Bangladesh as part of a ‘curtain raiser’ to the 16th Lok Sabha (General) Elections in India scheduled from April 7 to May 12, 2014.
Describing different aspects of Indian elections, the former Indian CEC said elections in his country never missed the deadline and credibility of the polls never challenged.
