NEWS reports have it that the Election Commission is chalking out schedules to hold the Municipal Elections in the third week of December. Election Commissioner Brig Gen (retd) Md. Zabed Ali said on Thursday that it would be suitable for the Commission if they could arrange the elections in between December 20 and December 24, as per news reports of the local dailies.
Talking to reporters at his EC Secretariat office on Thursday, Election Commissioner Zabed said they preferred that time because the voter list revising work is scheduled to begin on January 2 and the SSC Exams would start from February. Brig Zabed Ali further added that if any polling was stayed a re-election could be held within December. The Election Commissioner also hoped that if all the work is completed, election schedule might be announced sometimes this week. Earlier in June, EC officials said elections to around 245 out of 317 municipalities are likely to be held in December and the rest in phases later.
Earlier President Abdul Hamid promulgated an Ordinance amending the Local Government law making municipal polls partisan. It means that registered political parties can nominate candidates for the elections to the local government bodies and the aspirants will contest taking party symbols like Parliamentary polls. The Cabinet on October 12 approved proposals for amending the Local Government Laws for holding elections to local government bodies – Union Parishad, Municipalities, Upazila and City Corporations – along partisan lines.
One sees no reason why municipal polls have to be made partisan – surely no need should exist for municipal elections to be held using party symbols which should only be reserved for national parliamentary elections, except to perhaps further consolidate the reign of power of the ruling party at the grassroots level and to weed out the political opponents. It could also force the entry of other parties who would not want to contest elections and thus be an attempt to legitimize the elections.
Local government experts and commentators have already expressed their considered views that making local government elections a party matter would only weaken the neutral character of such units of local administration and also create a stiff division in our social building blocks.
The fact is that elections have ceased to be of any interest to the people. The municipal elections like others are all about enjoying power and state facilities. It will not matter whether the voters come to vote or not. The elections are mere formalities.
