bdnews24.com :
Independent candidates in the Union Parishad (UP) elections will not have to provide any list of voters supporting their nominations.
The Election Commission unanimously approved the change in rule on Thursday. The amended election code for the UP polls to be held on party lines will be forwarded to the law ministry on Sunday.
The draft for the electoral code of conduct will sent for the ministry’s vetting on Tuesday.
“The condition has been scrapped because of the ground reality,” said EC Secretary Md Sirajul Islam.
Independent candidates in the Union Parishad (UP) elections will not have to provide any list of voters supporting their nominations.
The Election Commission unanimously approved the change in rule on Thursday. The amended election code for the UP polls to be held on party lines will be forwarded to the law ministry on Sunday.
The draft for the electoral code of conduct will sent for the ministry’s vetting on Tuesday.
“The condition has been scrapped because of the ground reality,” said EC Secretary Md Sirajul Islam.
Even if only a few signatures are sought from each independent candidate in about 4,500 UPs, it will be ‘difficult’ for the commission to verify all of them, he said.
“Two days will not be enough to scrutinise the nominations if such a condition is set for the independent contenders. Besides, we must keep in mind that public soliciting of voters’ signatures in support of a candidate goes against the rule of confidentiality.” EC officials say fake supporters are often named in lists, while nomination papers are rejected because of procedural flaws in some.
