Staff Reporter :The Election Commission (EC) on Monday has rejected the requests of some political parties to defer the municipality polls by 15 days.Besides, the EC also has decided to keep lawmakers out of electioneering campaign in favour of any polls candidate, EC Commissioner M Shah Newaz told journalists after a meeting on Monday. The decisions were taken by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmad, Election Commissioners and other officials at a meeting held at the EC Secretariat.As per the present schedule, the elections to 236 municipalities out of the country’s 323 ones will be held on December 30.However, Shah Newaz said, the EC will formally disclose its decision in a press briefing soon. Earlier on Sunday, the EC had a marathon meeting over the demands of the political parties placed regarding the municipal elections.Some political parties including Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), Jatiya Party, Workers Party of Bangladesh, Krishak Sramik Janata League and National Awami Party placed their demand to the EC for deferment of the municipal elections by at least 15 days.Awami League and Jatiya Party demanded the EC to allow MPs to participate in electioneering during the local polls slated for December 30, but BNP demanded not to allow MPs to participate in the campaign.Besides, BNP demanded deferment of the polls by at least 15 days, creating a level-playing field, stopping police harassment of its workers and releasing its detained leaders and activists, including the acting secretary general.Jatiya Party also demanded the Election Commission to extend the deadline for submitting the nomination papers for the municipal polls by at least 10 days from December 3.Workers Party of Bangladesh, a partner of the ruling Awami League-led alliance, also demanded the EC reschedule the municipality election to facilitate political parties to complete their preparations to join it.Workers Party, however, placed a demand similar to AL for allowing MPs to take part in electioneering in favour of candidates.”The EC has decided not to defer the municipality polls and not allow lawmakers for electioneering campaign. On Sunday Awami League and Jatiya Party met Chief Election Commissioner and requested for allowing their MPs to take part in campaigns. But their request has also been turned down,” M Shah Newaz said.
