Participation of all political parties is a must to reconstitute the Election Commission (EC) in a bid to avert debate and regain trust on the constitutional body, say experts.
For this, they demanded formation of a search committee with participation of all stakeholders prior to the reconstitution of the EC.
They said this at a roundtable titled “Election Commission Reformation and Citizens’ Thoughts” organised by Shushasoner Jonno Nagorik (Sujan), a citizens’ platform advocating good governance, at the Jatiya Press Club in on Saturday.
Qualified persons and appropriate system are needed to hold free, fair, credible and impartial election in the country, they added.
Former Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) ATM Shamsul Huda, Constitutional expert Shahdeen Malik, former Dhaka University Vice-Chancellor Professor Emajuddin Ahmed, former Election Commissioner Brig Gen (retd) M Shakhawat Hossain, former cabinet secretary Ali Imam Majumder and Dhaka University law professor Asif Nazrul took participation in the discussion.
Sujan President M Hafiz Uddin Khan, also a former adviser to caretaker government presided over the roundtable.
Sujan Secretary Badiul Alam Majumdar readout the keynote paper saying despite a constitutional obligation to formulate law, the provision has never been followed.
According to a keynote paper proposal, a five-member committee, to be chaired by one senior Justice of the Appellate Division nominated by Chief Justice, will comprise of four representatives one each from Awami League and BNP-led alliances, civil society and mass media. It should be ensured that civil society and mass media representatives have no nepotism or biasness to any political parties, added the proposal. The discussants said the EC would have to regain peoples’ trust. So, it is urgently needed to hold talk with all stakeholders. Former CEC Shamsul Huda said people’s confidence in the EC and the electoral system is gradually waning.
“The political party, which is defeated in the polls, alleges irregularities and massive vote rigging. So, the trend of losing confidence in the constitutional body will have to be regained. Besides, the culture of accepting poll’s results will have to be developed,” he said.
Huda said, many countries in the world reconstitute their EC with the participation of all political parties there.
“If the all political parties take part in reconstituting the EC, none has scope to raise question on its activities. So, in this regard law needs to be formulated to reconstitute the commission as it is mandatory in 118 Chapter of the Constitution,” he said. Professor Emajuddin Ahmed said if the Prime Minister wants to arrange a free, fair and credible election in the country, it is possible.
“How and in what way a free, fair and credible election can be arranged in the country. The President can take initiative to hold talks with all political parties,” he said.
M Shakhawat Hossain said it is very important that what process will be applied to reconstitute the EC as it is the centre of all electoral system.
“If any political party comes to power through vote rigging and irregularities, it becomes more desperate to cling to power,” he said.
Shahdeen Malik said if the EC is reconstituted with enacting law, it would have to face many challenges.
“The justices should not be involved in the search committee as they don’t have administrative experience,” he said.
Sujan Secretary Badiul Alam Majumder said a proper EC will have to be formed by picking up appropriate persons.
Syed Abul Maksud said the people have doubt over the reformation of EC. People fear that the government will appoint such persons who will not be able to hold a fair election.
He said, the government has to remove the doubt of the people. The ruling Awami League-led alliance wants the new EC to be formed by a search committee under the jurisdiction of the President, a power vested in him by the Constitution.
BNP urged the government to form the EC through discussion with opposition parties instead of making a search committee. It warned the government against any move to have a “subservient Election Commission”.
Law Minister Anisul Huq has recently hinted that a search committee will be formed to constitute the new EC.
