With chances of an early general election all but disappeared. the Election Commission has rescheduled its preparatory activities for the upcoming polls, keeping October in mind as a tentative timeframe, hinted Chief Election Commissioner MA Syed yesterday at a meeting with a diplomatic delegation at (he EC Secretariat. The delegation comprised chiefs of six missions in Bangladesh.

According to meeting sources, in response to a query from one of the diplomats. Syed said that the EC would determine (he election schedule in consultation with the caretaker government once the parliament is dissolved.

"We will fix the date for the next general election, maybe, sometime in October." the CEC was quoted as telling the diplomats.

As per the constitution, the tenure of (he present government expires on July 13, and the government can continue for 15 more days before handing over power to a non-party caretaker government. The caretaker administration must hold the parliamentary election

within BOdays of its assumption of office.

US Ambassador Mary Ann Peters, Swedish Ambassador Sven Anders Johnson. Charge d' Affairs of Japan Embassy Kioykazu, Canadian High Commissioner David Preston, British High Commissioner David Carter and European Union Ambassador Antonio B de Souza Menezes attended the meeting at theECSecrelariat.

None of the three commissioners on the four-member constitutional body wasat the meeting.

The diplomats made queries related to the upcoming genera) election including EC's preparation, electoral law reforms, preparation and printing of the voter list, security arrangement for international observers, latest political situation and problems in (he EC during (he nearly two-hourmceting.

According to the sources the CEC informed the diplomats of EC's preparation, its shortcomings and other issues in detail.

"We have a productive meeting with the Chief Ejection Commissioner," Canadian I ligh Commissioner David Preston, who coordinated the diplomatic delegation. told a group ol reporters at (he FC Secretarial.

On (he country's political mum tion, Preston said the problem is domestic, and "should be solved domestically."

The delegation discussed progress ol preparation for the ensuing election and the issue of international observers, he said.

Regarding (he electoral law reforms, the diplomat noted that the EC and the UNDP are working together on this issue.

According to an EC spokesman the CEC identified shortage of staffers and dependency on the government as the main obstacle for the election commission to work independently.

Quoting the CEC's statement to (hediplomats. Sanai Kumar Biswas, the EC spokesman, said dependency on the government machinery hampered the commission’s move.

I he ( E( also vowed for an independent Flection Commission Secretarial for smooth functioning of the quasi-judicial body, consfitu-lionally designated for holding national and presidential elections. Biswas revealed.

The CEC was also quoted to have told the mission chiefs that he would move the reform proposals to the non-party caretakergovernmentfor its consideration and presidential proclamation to adopt the provisions in a bid to ensure fairness in the future polls.

Fie also told them about (he EC's plan for special security- measures, based on secret reports, in (he violence-prone constituencies during thee) ections.

"The EC will also ensure safely of the international observers as well as security of the common voters." the CEC was quoted to have said.

The diplomats had met the CEC twice before yesterday, on December 19 last and on February 20 this year for the same purposes, EC soirees said.