Former Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Justice Sade-que is no more there to be a party to conducting the country's elections. His appointment in that coveted position was questioned by the opposition political parties who argued that they should have been consulted prior to that. His performance in the February 15 "farcical- election was pitiable. He defended himself as the vanguard of constitutional obligation; on the contrary, as It seemed, he just carried out orders from the ruling party (government).

Justice Sadeque met an Ignoble fate but his predecessor was somewhat lucky not to be condemned nationally. What sparked off from the Magura by-election ended with the formation of a caretaker government. The time gap between the two events was marked by a period of political stalemate unknown in other nations. Justice Rouf was intelligent enough to rid himself of his position and did not have to bear the brunt of Ignominy like his successor.

Justice Sadeque's recent press briefing defending his stand does not by any means make him a puritan. His overt surprise about mass rigging In a one-party election is not acceptable. May be he did not conceive even in dreams about .the rigging that put him in a

delicate situation. He faithfully served the cause which, however. went In fevour of the ruling party, but In public statements he preferred to pose as a neutral official. Could he do otherwise? I suppose no. He was ruling party's appointee.

Though Justice Rouf had to leave facing a controversial situation, but his proven ability and performance In the March 1991 parliamentary election was beyond anybody's doubt. Except facing Sheikh Hasina s allegation of subtle rigging'. Justice' Rouf did a good job enhancing the Image of his chair.

We now have a new CEC. incidentally the first from outside the judiciary. A former bureaucrat. Abu'Hena has a tough task ahead. The political parties had been demanding a structural reorganisation of the Election Commission (EC). Time is now matured

for the new CEC to sit with the political parties to embody their suggestions tn conduct Ing the coming general elec-t!6n. The political parties should also give their support to the EC for ensuring a fair election. The ongoing arms recovery drive reminds me of I he one undertaken by the former regime to ensure a fair

election which was a total failure. It is Sheikh Hasina who is clamouring for the recovery of arms and rightly drew the attention of the newly formed caretaker government. The new drive should continue unabated even after the election. Sheikh Hasina stated that in this campaign her partymen should also not be spared if found with arms. It's a manifestation of good intent. Can we expect similar statements from Khaleda Zia? Can we remind the EC of its ID card project. A costjy affair undertaken by the EC seems to have met its natural death. When shall we be able to vote equipped with ID cards? What was the point of squandering crores of taka for this project when the authority seems to have forgotten It?

There had been a lot of expressed thoughts and ideas to make electioneering process effective and viable. It Is believed that the EC should develop a code, of conduct for itself to gain and nourish independence. Like legislature and Judiciary, may we expect the EC to have some more autonomy as the office of caretaker government will be a permanent phenomenon for conducting parliamentary polls in the future?

The writer is an official of a nongovernmental organization