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EC for admin reshuffle before upazila, JS polls

CEC apprises CA of possible election schedule

Staff Correspondent
The Election Commission (EC) asked the caretaker government to reshuffle the field level public administration to facilitate holding of the long overdue upazila parishad elections and the stalled ninth parliamentary poll respectively in October and December
this year.
At a meeting with Chief Adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed on Saturday, the EC apprised the military backed caretaker government chief about the commission's plans and preparations, and asked his government to prepare the public administration for the polls by reshuffling it.
"Top officials of the field level administration, who will be engaged in election duties, must be changed," Election Commissioner Brig Gen (retd) M Sakhawat Hussain told reporters yesterday.
The field level public administration has not witnessed any major reshuffle since the current caretaker government assumed office on January 12 last year, while there have been widespread allegations that the immediate past BNP-led four-party alliance government stacked the administration five layers deep with partisan officials.
According to sources in the EC, the commission asked the caretaker government chief to change the Geld level top officials ahead of the elections, in a bid to prevent partisan interference through government officials in the polls.
The posts where changes are being sought include those of deputy com-
police (SP), and officers in charge (OC) of local police stations, whose impartiality is imperative for holding tree, fair and credible elections.
According to the plans, schedules for upazila elections will be announced by the middle of August while the schedule for stalled ninth parliamentary poll will be announced oy the end of October or the first week of November. The parliamentary election is tentatively scheduled for the third weekofDeceinber.
"Elections to a maximum of 350 upazila parishads out of a total of 482 will be held within October and the elections to the remaining upazilas will be held after the parliamentary poll," Sakhawat said.
Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) /ATM Shamsul Huda and the other two election commissioners Muhammed Sohul Hussain and M Sakhawat Hussain discussed the plans in details with the chief of the government.
Sakhawat said although the schedules for upazila polls will be announced in August, candidateswill have 21 days for electoral campaigns afterthe Eid-ul-Fitr in early October.
Political parties including Awami League and BNP however have been vehemently opposing holding of the upazila parishad polls before the parliamentary election.
AUG 4 CITY, MUNICIPALTIY POLLS The EC also urged the government to take punitive action against the divisional commissioner of Rajshahi who allow'ed selection of loan defaulters and government open market sales dealers as candidates in the upcoming Rajshahi City Corporation electioneven after they had been disquali -Ged by the rctumingofficer.
Those two categories of individuals are disqualified from contesting in any election by the newelectoral law.
Election Commissioner Sakhawat told reporters yesterday that the commission asked the government to immediately withdraw the officer from duty.
"We hope, no official engaged in election duties will abuse their power in future," he said.
Meanwhile, electoral campaigns for the four city corporation and nine municipality polls begin today after electoral symbols are distributed among the candidates.
The relaxation of the Emergency Powers Rules (EPR) will also go into effect today allowing the candidates to bring out electoral processions and hold rallies in line with the electoral code of conduct-
Election Commissioner Sakhawat urged all poUtical parties not to get involved in the election campaigns.
The candidates must abide by the code of conduct for electioneering otherwise their candidacies will be cancelled as a maximum punishment, he warned.
"We don't want to be embarrassed and also don’t want to embarrass anybody by cancelling a candidacy. So everybody should abide by the electoral code of conduct," the election commissioner said.
"rhe EC convened a meeting on July 17 to review the law and order situation in the four city corporation and nine municipality areas where pollswill be held on August4.
Top officials of law enforcement and intelligence agencies also attended the meeting.