Staff Reporter :
Members of Parliament (MPs) cannot carry out any kind of election activities for the party candidates in local government polls, including serving as campaign coordinators, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) KM Nurul Huda said on Saturday.
“Lawmakers can’t be involved in any part of the election … They can’t be barred from anything which does not concern the polls. However, they can’t serve as campaign coordinators,” he said.
Speaking to the media after a meeting with a delegation of the ruling Awami League-led by senior leader Tofail Ahmed, CEC Huda said that the electoral code of conduct stipulates that MPs can’t participate in any polls-related activities ‘indoors or outdoors’.
The ruling Awami League formed two steering committees with lawmakers Tofail Ahmed and Amir Hossain Amu as the chief coordinators, to supervise the overall polls related activities of the Dhaka north and Dhaka south city corporations respectively.
Responding to a query on the two ruling MPs heading the panels, the CEC said, “I believe they can’t [be in the panels]. We are yet to receive official information over the members of the panel. We would have barred them if it was available.” Asked whether MPs can accompany candidates, the CEC said the law does not prohibit that.
“We cannot bar candidates from participating in political activities [of the party] in the election areas. MPs can also take part but can’t make remarks on polls. For instance, they can attend events celebrating Mujib Year, but cannot solicit votes.”
