Prior information about them is citizens' constitutional right and it is a must to form a healthy parliament through polls and thereby protect democratic institutions from politicisation and corruption to free the society from the scourge of black money and criminalised politics, they stressed.

They felt that civil society members, professionals and media personnel should immediately start collecting information about candidates in the next polls so that people can judge them and exercise their voting right judiciously.

The Prothom Alo, The Daily Star and Sushashoner Jonno Nagorik -- Shujan organised the roundtable on "The Verdict of the High Court and Voters' Right to know about the Election Candidates" in the city.

Eminent jurist Dr Kamal Hossain said the HC verdict on the voters' right to know the bio-data, accounts of resources and other information about the candidates is based on the constitution, and proper implementation of it is needed for electing competent and honest people as lawmakers.

"If the sources of resources are known to the voters, they can detect black money holders. The main task of the voters is not to elect such persons," he said.

Dr Kamal, also president of the Gono Forum, said the EC has to start collecting information about candidates in the next polls by appointing manpower and training them. Llawyers, accountants, media personnel and the civil society members can help it, he said.

Expressing his desire to be the first to be a volunteer in the process and to provide information about himself, he said the process requires mobilisation of the people. Information about the candidates should be made public to save the nation from the evil influence of black money holders, he noted.

In his keynote presentation, Dr Badiul Alam Majumder said that on May 24 last year, the HC gave a 'revolutionary' verdict that directed the EC to collect information about the candidates with their nomination papers and publicise those through the mass media.

According to Section 111 of the constitution, any verdict of the HC is like a law and Section 112 provides that implementation of HC verdicts is mandatory, he said, "But unfortunately, our Election Commission has failed to implement the verdict fully."

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Justice MA Aziz had remarked that implementation of the HC verdict is not mandatory since there is no provision of punishment in case of non-implementation of it.

Referring to this, Badiul, who is country director the Hunger Project, said, "HC verdict can be 'directory' only in case of interpretation of law while all the other verdicts are mandatory."

He called for foiling the 'conspiracy' against voters' right to information about candidates.

Moderating the roundtable, Prof Muzaffer Ahmad said the EC does not understand the HC verdict that results in its non-implementation before the elections. "It can be considered if any change in the legal structure is needed in case of implementing the HC verdict."

Reforms of the EC is a must, and the two major political parties have to sit together to discuss the reform issues, he said.

Supreme Court Bar Association President Barrister Amir Ul-Islam said democratic institutions are being destroyed through politicisation.

The HC verdict on the voters' right to know about candidates is certainly mandatory but is not being enforced, he noted.

Stressing empowerment of voters, Justice Abdur Rouf said politicians do not want laws that go against their interests.

Dr Tofael Ahmed of Chittagong University suggested that electoral rules should provide for programme where candidates will face questions from voters.

Dr Zafarullah Chowdhury of Gonoshasthya Kendra said a provision should be included in electoral rules that persons aged less than 18 cannot take part in election campaigns. "This (campaigning) leads them to crimes and drug addiction as they get money from political parties."

Bangladesh Economic Association President Dr Qazi Kholiquzzaman Ahmad stressed an integrated process to raise public awareness both in urban and rural areas.

Speakers included former secretary Muzibul Haque, Major Generals (Rtd) Moinul Hussain Chowdhury and Syed Muhammad Ibrahim, Awami League (AL) leader Abdul Matin Khasru and Dr Asif Nazrul of Dhaka University.

The Daily Star Editor and Publisher Mahfuz Anam gave the welcome speech while Prothom Alo Joint Editor Abdul Qaium conducted the programme.