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CEC fears greater bloodshed if elections not held
The Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) yesterday expressed his firm resolve to go ahead with his mission to stage poll on February 15 despite the violence and rowdyism sweeping the .country, reports UNB.
All possible measures have been taken to ensure a smooth holding of election. Justice A K M Sadeque said while exchanging views with the editors of national dailies and news agencies in the conference room of the Election Commission (EC).
He thought if election is not held, there will be far greater bloodshed and confusion in the country than burning, bloodletting, killing and destruction of property being perpetrated at present in the runup to election.
Pointing at the Commission’s constitutional obligation to hold election, within
90 days of the dissolution of parliament, the CEC. said: "We can under no circumstances renounce election as we cannot foresake independence and democratic dispensation, notwithstanding violence and vandalism being unleashed in the country. We must hold election to keep democratic system and constitutional process running."
Failure to hold elections will cause collapse of the Constitution. The loss suffered by the country due to breakdown of constitution will be infinitely more, he said.
Any attempt to obstruct the holding of election is a punishable offence in the eyes of law. Those who are trying to sabotage election would be held responsible for destroying democratic system and constitutional process. the CEC observed.
As he made the observation. the opposition parties who stayed out from the fray simultaneously threw tough action plans like hartal, gherao, siege and non-cooperation to resist what they said one-party farcical election.'
Asked if the EC had taken action against anyone of those who are trying to sabotage February 15 poll, Justice Sadeque replied in the negative. He unhesitatingly admitted the Commission's failure In this regard.
Referring io arrangements made to ensure holding of polls, the CEC said all possible steps had been taken for smooth voting. He said police and other law enforcing agencies would be deployed around the polling centres to ensure safety oT the voters and to help rnaln-
tain peace around the area.
The army will, however, be kept posted at police stations. They will be given wireless sets so that they can rush in aid of civil administration as and when needed to bring situation under control. There will be mobile force which will be patrolling their respective areas.
Justice Sadeque noted with anguish that major opposition parties were not participating in the coming poll. He said it would have been much better if they had taken part in the fray.
In reply to a question concerning mopping up of unauthorised arms, the CEC said bulk of arms had already been recovered from unauthorised possessions. He also noted with satisfaction that most of the criminals and hoodlums had fled the country for fear of being arrested by the law enforcing agencies •deployed to unearth unauthorised arms.
He thought that it was due to this operation that violence on the election day would be far less than apprehended.
In reply to a question, the CEC said nobody would be allowed to rig the poll. "If a ballot box remains empty, that empty box will be returned to the Election Commission. None will be allowed to stuff the empty boxes as were done in the past."
He made it clear the Election Commission is honest and sincere in its efforts to hold election freely without any prejudice or pressure from any quarters He concluded with a call for all con cerned to cooperate with the Election Commission for smooth balloting.