Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Justice Abdur Rauf yesterday said work is in progress to develop a detailed data base of voters through six lakh Election Commission volunteers across the country to bring about discipline in the electoral process, reports BSS

Speaking at a discussion on the "Electoral Process in Bangladesh" in Dhaka he said one volunteer is being entrusted with the responsibility to enlist every 100 voter while the Identification of the voters are being done by local permanent residents.

The Centre for Analysis and Choice arranged the discussion, which was chaired by National Prof Muhammad Shamsul Haque. Former CEC Justice ATM Masud. Editor of the Daily Sangbad Ahmedul Kabir, former secretary of Election Commission (EC) Alxius Salam, Daud Khan Majlis of the Voice of America (VOA), and director of legislative service unit of the centre. Shawkat Mahmud, took part tn the discussion.

Justice Rauf said the EC is also planning to increase the number of polling centres to 69.000 from the present

22.000 to facilitate the voters and check casting of false votes.

Justice Rauf said no country other than Bangladesh had held 27 elections, including 12 national-level polls, within such a short period, of 23 years since Independence. Yet discipline is yet to be established in the country's electoral process. he said.

Justice Rauf said the elec toral process primarily depends on proper registration of voters "We often confuse between voters' list and voters' registration. If all the voters are properly registered only then it would be possible to produce a fair voters' list." he said.

Referring to the constitutional provisions of the country, the CEC said in local body polls a citizen might be a voter in different places. But one ett Izen is entitled to vote in only one constituency In the case of parliamentary elections, he said

Therefore, the voters Ust cannot provide a total scenario of voters." he said, adding: "Proper registration of voters is needed through which every

met wifi get an identity card winch will provide all relevant in. ('nation regarding him

isikc Raul observed that . les of the major political ..mes are a principal factor in "i'iing elections properly in

in the developed countries •idudmg the USA. the major mutical parties themselves : . 'he whole electoral

■< ess while the election in missions act merely as - ipportive agencies he said.

Tie CEC further opined ■ r 11 Is a very wrong concept the election process should be conducted by com

• •eiv non-partisan people

Every citizen including the I-.' ■ officials are entitled to ... te for any party and. there-: re neutrality of the people inducting elections Is an Im possible concept, he said. He .rged the political parties to 'hare the responsibility of . ।inducting polls in a free and ‘air manner.

'n his presidential speech. ' 'nt Shamsul Haque said the । institution provides the EC ' ill autonomy to conduct elec-mris Therefore, the EC must :»■ equipped with ah- facilities disc harge its responsibility .'tc-pendently. he said.

Prof Haque opined that the j-ilitical parties should abolish

their respective student wings for the best interest of the nation.

This, of course, does not mean that the students would not take part in politics.' he said 'The objective is rather to develop a healthy political process and promote a scholarly and academic atmosphere in the educational arena."

Justice ATM Masud said the EC should not be blamed for everything which is undesirable. To bring everything In order, all must abide by the Constitution, for which the main responsibility Mes with the political parties, he said.