THE Election Commission has decided to file an appeal against the court order that stayed the Gazipur City Corporation Election. EC Secretary Helaluddin Ahmed on Tuesday said, ‘The Commission will appeal against the court order that stayed Gazipur City polls for three months. A law expert has been appointed in this regard.’
The people were taken by surprise by the High Court order on Sunday on a writ filed by a Savar Awami League leader and Shimulia Union Parishad Chairman Azharul Islam Suruj challenging the inclusion of Six Wards with Gazipur City Corporation from the jurisdiction of Savar Upazila six years back.
EC Secretary further said, ‘We collected essential documents as soon as the stay order was given. But we are yet to receive a written copy of the court order….We however received a certified copy of the order through our lawyer, and the Commission plans to file an appeal based on that.’
Earlier on Monday, the Chief Election Commissioner claimed that he was in dark about the order issued by the High Court Bench. We think, it was nothing but an untrue statement of CEC as there was no way to remain uninformed when an advocate was representing the EC. Earlier, the Dhaka North City Corporation election was suspended. The CEC had used similar tricks saying lack of knowledge when the High Court order came giving stay order for three months and later extended to six months.
But if his statement is true, than question raises who is bypassing the CEC? Who is taking decision, sending advocate for appearing before court without CEC’s knowledge? Is anyone running Election Commission from behind the scene?
It is now almost clear as day light that government has suspended the Gazipur election using the court order to avoid defeat. Now, it becomes talk of the country – what the ruling party will do if BNP takes part in the upcoming parliamentary election. It becomes a pattern of the ruling party that when they see the situation is not favourable for winning election, they use the court to halt the polls and the Election Commission remains deaf and dumb.
We earlier had marked that violence, armed clashes, false votes, loss of life, attempts to snatch away ballot boxes, and a host of other mishaps marred the various Union Parishad, Pourashava and City Corporation elections.
Popularity is a big factor to win an election through free and fair voting. There’s a saying, morning shows the day. The suspension of the local government elections gives rise to apprehensions concerning the coming National elections.
So, it is the responsibility of the Election Commission to put an end to such farce during the elections.
