UNB, Dhaka :
The Cabinet on Monday approved the draft of the Zila Parishad (Amendment) Bill, 2016′ making it clear about the formation of ‘electoral college’ with public representatives from all tiers for Zila Parishad election.
The approval was given at the regular weekly meeting of the Cabinet held at Prime Minister Office (PMO) with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair.
Briefing reporters after the meeting at the Bangladesh Secretariat, Cabinet Secretary Mohammad Shafiul Alam said the previous law had some ambiguity about the formation of the electoral college.
“The proposed law has made it clear,” he said adding that it would be promulgated through an ordinance very soon since parliament is not in session right now. According to the proposed amendment, the cabinet secretary said an electoral college will be formed to elect a 21-member body for Zila Parishad, including its chairman.
The electoral college will be constituted with all the elected representatives of different local government bodies of district like mayors, councilors and reserved councilors of the city corporations, pourasavas, upazila parishad, chairmen
and vice chairmen, chairmen, members and reserved members of the union parishads.
Shafiul Alam said, the Zila Parishad (Amendment) Bill, 2016 has also brought changes in few areas of the original act passed in 2000 which included mandatory provision of giving name of mother for identification of the candidate alongside giving the names of father and husband (in case of female candidates).
The draft law included a provision for suspension of a chairman or member candidate of Zila Parishad on criminal charge. The law suggested a fine of maximum Tk 50,000 and maximum six months’ imprisonment or both for violating any clause of the election code of conduct.
The Cabinet Secretary also said, the executive power of Zila Parishad is bestowed upon the Zila Parishad Chairman, but as per the Section 31 (2) of the proposed amendment, a temporary panel chairman, or a member or a government nominated official could be able to discharge the duties of the district council chairman in case of his or her absence. Besides, he said, a new provision of temporary suspension has been included in the proposed amendment for the Zila Parishad Chairmen and its members if they are chargesheeted in any criminal case.
At the very outset of the meeting, the Cabinet unanimously adopted an obituary reference expressing condolence at the death of AFM Mohitul Islam, plaintiff of Bangabandhu murder case, freedom fighter and former deputy director of directorate of disaster management and eminent poet and Ekushey Padak laureate Shahid Qadri. Ministers and state ministers, and secretaries concerned attended the meeting.
The Cabinet on Monday approved the draft of the Zila Parishad (Amendment) Bill, 2016′ making it clear about the formation of ‘electoral college’ with public representatives from all tiers for Zila Parishad election.
The approval was given at the regular weekly meeting of the Cabinet held at Prime Minister Office (PMO) with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair.
Briefing reporters after the meeting at the Bangladesh Secretariat, Cabinet Secretary Mohammad Shafiul Alam said the previous law had some ambiguity about the formation of the electoral college.
“The proposed law has made it clear,” he said adding that it would be promulgated through an ordinance very soon since parliament is not in session right now. According to the proposed amendment, the cabinet secretary said an electoral college will be formed to elect a 21-member body for Zila Parishad, including its chairman.
The electoral college will be constituted with all the elected representatives of different local government bodies of district like mayors, councilors and reserved councilors of the city corporations, pourasavas, upazila parishad, chairmen
and vice chairmen, chairmen, members and reserved members of the union parishads.
Shafiul Alam said, the Zila Parishad (Amendment) Bill, 2016 has also brought changes in few areas of the original act passed in 2000 which included mandatory provision of giving name of mother for identification of the candidate alongside giving the names of father and husband (in case of female candidates).
The draft law included a provision for suspension of a chairman or member candidate of Zila Parishad on criminal charge. The law suggested a fine of maximum Tk 50,000 and maximum six months’ imprisonment or both for violating any clause of the election code of conduct.
The Cabinet Secretary also said, the executive power of Zila Parishad is bestowed upon the Zila Parishad Chairman, but as per the Section 31 (2) of the proposed amendment, a temporary panel chairman, or a member or a government nominated official could be able to discharge the duties of the district council chairman in case of his or her absence. Besides, he said, a new provision of temporary suspension has been included in the proposed amendment for the Zila Parishad Chairmen and its members if they are chargesheeted in any criminal case.
At the very outset of the meeting, the Cabinet unanimously adopted an obituary reference expressing condolence at the death of AFM Mohitul Islam, plaintiff of Bangabandhu murder case, freedom fighter and former deputy director of directorate of disaster management and eminent poet and Ekushey Padak laureate Shahid Qadri. Ministers and state ministers, and secretaries concerned attended the meeting.
