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Poll candidates' info to EC grossly inconsistent

States good governance group

Staff Correspondent
Shushashoner Janney Nagorik (Shujan) yesterday said the information provided to the Election Commission (EC) by the candidates contesting the city corporation polls was highly inconsistent and inadequate.
At a press conference at Dhaka Reporters Unity auditorium in the city, Shujan demanded the EC crosscheck the information and cancel candidacy of the ones who provided incorrect and incomplete information in their affidavit forms submitted to the EC.
Shujan accused the EC of not making public the candidates' income tax information and
sources of probable electoral expenses. It also blamed the EC for taking no action against candidates who have been violating electoral rules by using banners for campaigning.
Prof Muzaffer Ahmad, president of Shujan, said, "Our aspiration for honest and competent people's representatives will not be reflected if people cannot make informed decisions to cast votes."
Questioning the legality of returning officers accepting incomplete information from the candidates, he said the EC should urgently make a decision on the matter and, if necessary, it should ask the candidates to provide complete information on supple-
mentary affidavits.
Even though Shujan had earlier demanded that the EC publicise candidates' information as soon as the candidates file their candidature, the EC posted information of the final candidates on its website only on July 14, Prof Muzaffer said adding that the information posted on the website does not have information on income tax and sources of possible electoral expenses of the candidates.
All the information required by the electoral rules should be publicised through the media and other means, otherwise people will not be able to make informed decisions, he said.
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According to a Shujan study, many candidates in their affidavits did not mention any immovable property belonging to them, their spouses or their dependents.
"Affidavits show that many of the candidates or their dependents don't have any money in cash or in banks. Besides, many of them run businesses, but don't have any liabilities except loans from banks," said the study.
Examining the affidavits, the study found that all candidates claimed that they do not owe any outstanding bill to any utility serviceproviders.
According to Shujan, a number of them mentioned criminal cases filed against them, claiming that the cases were still under trial.
The law that made it mandatory for the candidates to provide the EC with their personal details would be ineffective unless the EC scrutinises the information provided and take punitive measures against the violators of the law, Shujan observed.
Although there have been allegations that some of the candidates during their campaigning are spending black money, using banners and distributing fliers at places of worship, no one is taking any action against them, Prof Muzaffer regretted.
Demanding stern action against the person/s responsible for with-
holding of the candidates' income tax and sources of probable electoral expense information on the EC website, Shujan Secretary Dr Badiul Alam Majumder said, "Who withheld this information - the EC or the candidates?"
"If the EC publicised the information immediately after the candidates submitted their affidavits, the media could run reports [on the inconsistencies) and people could be better informed. The candidates [hiding information) might also withdraw their candidacy," headded.
The legal provision allowing the EC to post candidates' information only on its website is flawed as a very small section of the population has access to the Internet, he noted.
“During our visits to different areas, we found out that many of the candidates have serious allegations against them. All our efforts will go in vain if criminals win the electionsagain,'' Majumdersaid.
Former adviser to a caretaker government M Hafizuddin Khan said, "We supported the local government elections now because we wanted to see this as an experiment in holding a model election "
Shujan Executive Member Syed Abul Maksud and Coordinator Swapan Kumar Saha were also present at the conference.