STAFF CORRESPONDENT

The Election Commission is going to start sitting with political parties on July 17 as part of a series of dialogues with a cross-section of people, seeking recommendations on how to hold free and fair elections.

The commission will complete the dialogue with all political parties by July 31, EC Additional Secretary Ashok Kumar Debnath said yesterday at a press conference.

The EC started the talks on March 13 and has so far held six rounds of dialogues with academics, eminent citizens, journalists, election observers and former chief election commissioners and election commissioners.

EC officials said they will sit with the ruling Awami League and opposition in the parliament Jatiya Party on July 31, and with BNP on July 20.

According to the EC’s letter to the discussants of the ongoing talks, many of them recommended setting up CCTV cameras and free movement of journalists at polling centres, appointing commission officials -- instead of deputy commissioners -- as returning officers, and using ballot papers unless it was ensured that there will be no misuse of EVMs.