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POLLS IRREGULARITIES

EC for authority to cancel candidature

Shakhawat Liton
The Election Commission (EC) wants authority to cancel candidatures of contesting candidates for gross irregularities in the election process.
The EC yesterday at a meeting chaired by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) MA Syed discussed the issue of having such legal authority for conducting the polls free and fair, sources said.
It also echoed a high court rule about collecting information on the candidates' academic qualification, criminal backgrounds -- if any, profession and source of income.
The EC should acquire all this information and disclose it to the public to help them properly choose
their representative and not get cheated by the rhetoric of candidates, the high court rule on April 23 said also asking the EC to explain why it should not be directed to take measures to collect such information.
The EC yesterday decided that it will not contest the rule as it is in favour of such rules.
"The candidature of a contesting candidate should be declared null and void if he is accused of repeatedly violating electoral rules," Election Commissioner AK Mohammad Ali told The Daily Star after the meeting. "Candidates who frequently violate electoral code of conduct during the election period do not have the right to be people's representatives," he added.
The meeting also discussed various issues of electoral reforms and agreed that the EC will complete the reform proposal shortly.
Sources said the CEC at the meeting placed documents of the electoral reforms proposals prepared by the EC during the last caretaker government.
The EC found that the provision of cancelling one's candidature was in the reform proposal of the EC and that the then president Shahabuddin Ahmad approved it by promulgating an ordinance. A month later, however, the president promulgated another ordinance to repeal the provision.
In absence of such legal power the EC cannot take stern action against any contesting candidate accused of violating electoral rules repeatedly.
The meeting also discussed the absence of the electoral inquiry committee, which is formed during the parliamentary polls to work to prevent violation of electoral rules.
In absence of the electoral inquiry committee system, the EC at present can only fine a candidate accused of gross violation of the code of conduct.
The EC now plans to ask the government to make provisions so it can form the electoral inquiry committee in the local government elections.
Eminent lawyer Dr Kamal Hossain, who also attended the EC meeting, asked the government to provide legal power to the EC to deploy army in the municipalities and city corporation elections.
The Gono Forum president also stressed the need for bringing the EC secretariat and appointments under the commission's control. Regarding appointment of a new CEC, Dr Kamal told journalists that they have already proposed to the government to give new appointment after discussing with all political parties through a roundtable discussion.
The incumbent CEC MA Syed is retiring on May 22 this year.
Two other election commissioners MM Munsef Ali and AKM Mohammad Ali were also present at the meeting. Election Commissioner Safiur Rahman however did not attend the meeting although he was in office at that time.