Former law minister Moudud Ahmed yesterday said reconstitution of Election Commission (EC) demanded by Awami League-led 14-party alliance is not possible within the next 75 days as the next general election will have to be held by January 25 as per the constitution.

"The caretaker government has to declare the election date within 90 days [of assuming office] and

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two weeks have already passed. It is impossible to reconstitute the Election Commission within the next 75 days," Moudud said at a discussion meeting at Osmani auditorium in the capital.

"For this reason, all political parties should be prepared for the election and help the Election Commission rather than demanding its reconstitution," he added.

Moudud also said the Awami League should withdraw its anti-EC agitation programmes for safeguarding democracy and the constitution of the country.

"The demands for removal of Chief Election Commissioner [CEC] MA Aziz and other election commissioners are not logical as the caretaker government cannot remove them. The main duty of the caretaker government is to help the Election Commission for holding the election fairly," he said.

Speaking at the programme, Justice Abdur Rouf said the CEC and other election commissioners do not have the power to engineer the election as around 8-9 lakh presiding officers and polling officers are working at the field level.

"It is very regrettable that political parties have announced war against the chief election commissioner and other election commissioners," he said, urging all political parties not to create "anarchy" in the name of reconstitution of the EC.

Zia Parishad organised the discussion meeting styled "Nonparty Caretaker Government and Nine National Elections" where former vice-chancellor of Jahangirnagar University Prof Jasim Uddin Ahmed and Zia Parishad Chairman Prof Iqbal Hasan Mahmud also spoke.