The Election Commission (EC) in a surprising move and without any further discussion yesterday decided that the voter list for the next general election will be prepared afresh at a cost of over Tk 200 crore.

The decision was made on the basis of Saturday's primary discussion about preparation of the voter list.

The Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) took the decision unilaterally and then in a file forwarded to the two election commissioners he sought their opinions yesterday afternoon. The election commissioners expressed opinions that the list, be it a fresh or a revised one, be prepared in accordance with the Electoral Rolls Ordinance 1982.

The CEC, however, categorically said that a fresh roll will be prepared. He claimed the decision was made after taking into account the precedents set while preparing the voter lists in the past.

The EC on Saturday at a two-hour meeting failed to reach a decision and said they would take the decision at the next meeting, which was scheduled for yesterday. But the meeting was cancelled to avoid further discord over preparation of the list, as it was 'very much unlikely' for the commissioners to reach a consensus on the issue, sources said.

"It does not warrant a consensus of all the three members," CEC MA Aziz told reporters replying to a question whether the decision was taken on consensus. "We took the decision on the basis of opinions expressed in the dialogue with the political parties," he added.

A total of 53 political parties took part in the three-day-long dialogue held amid boycott by the mainstream opposition parties including Awami League (AL)

The number of parties invited to the talks however was 117.Of the participants, 37 including the ruling parties favoured a fresh voter list.

The CEC at the beginning of the discussion about the voter list said the electoral laws would have to be amended to prepare a fresh list. But later he shifted from his position saying that preparing a fresh list does not necessarily require amendment to the laws.

The two election commissioners however appeared to be sticking to their earlier legal stances on the voter roll.

Faced with such disagreement, the EC had to follow the precedents of previous voter lists, sources said. "There was no need at all to arrange the dialogue when at the end of the day the Election Commissioner had to rely on the precedents to take the decision," said a senior EC official.

"We are going to prepare a fresh voter list considering the way they [lists] were prepared in the past," CEC MA Aziz told reporters after announcing the decision.

The commission had prepared voter lists in 1983, 1990, 1995 and 2000 without having to amend the electoral rules.

"We will start preparing the list as soon as we get the financial support from the government," Aziz said, adding that the EC secretariat has already been directed to take necessary preparations.

Election Commissioner AK Mohammad Ali while leaving his office told reporters that the EC has decided to prepare the list in accordance with the Electoral Rolls Ordinance 1982.

He however alleged that his opinions about the legal aspects of the voter roll during Saturday's meeting were not properly recorded.

The EC secretariat officials said in a couple of days they will seek from the finance ministry a fund of over Tk 200 crore.

A total of 7.48 crore people are now registered as voters with the last roll prepared in 2000. The EC officials expect the number will rise by about one crore as the list will include those who have become eligible to be voters in the last five years.

As the decision is taken, the secretariat will soon start the enumeration job, employing about five lakh officials for around eight months.

An estimated 650 tonnes of papers will be required to print materials like manuals, registration forms, identity cards, draft lists and the like. Printing the final list too will need a mammoth amount of papers.