EC won't mediate between political parties: CEC
Chief Election Commissioner KM Nurul Huda has asserted that the Election Commission will not step in to resolve disputes between political parties.
“It is not our job....We will not go to anybody. We are an independent body,” he said in a dialogue yesterday as he replied to a query whether the commission would mediate between the ruling Awami League and the opposition BNP in helping them negotiate election-time government.
The EC discussed the next parliamentary election with senior media personnel and journalists from the electronic media at its office in the capital.
Most of the participants were not in favour of army deployment in the polls but supported the reintroducing of “no vote”. They suggested that the EC should create a level-playing field for all political parties and earn trust of theirs and the people.
The commission should also organise workshops for media personnel.
Other recommendations include keeping civil administration and law enforcement agencies under the full control of the EC, keeping them free from the influence of the election-time government, keeping biased observers outside the polls and ensuring security of minorities during election.
Replying to the query if the EC would play the role of a mediator, Huda said, “We earlier saw many international mediators come to resolve the crisis but failed.... Why will we waste time!
“We have taken oath that we will not bow down to any pressure.”
The commission has no role in determining how a polls-time government will be. However, everything will be depending on that government.
“As the EC is a technical office, it is obliged to conduct the election within the system determined by the [election-time] government.”
Bangladesh sees more complications and problems centring on electoral battle than other nations since it's a young democracy, the CEC said
Expressing firm determination to hold free and fair election, he added, “We do not have weakness and enmity towards anyone.”
Regarding army deployment, Huda said army would be deployed if necessary.
After the talks, EC acting secretary Helal Uddin Ahmed briefed the media.
During the talks, Abul Kalam Azad, chief editor of Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, and Mozammel Haque Babu, chief editor of Ekattor TV, said there was no need to deploy army.
“The commission has to work neutrally and remain within the constitution.... It has to earn public trust. It is not the duty of the EC to see who is participating [in election] and who is not,” Babu said.
He suggested brining all 40,000 polling stations under the watch of the TV stations to prevent irregularities during the next national election. “We all (TV channels) want to monitor the 40,000 polling stations.... We've the capacity.”
Bangladesh correspondent of Voice of America, Amir Khasru, however, said, “Army deployment in the general election is important, as we know what the role was of the regular law enforcement agencies in national polls in the past.”
Independent TV Executive Editor Khaled Muhiuddin said the EC's job was to earn public confidence. “The EC will decide if the army is needed.”
Channel I Director Shykh Seraj pointed out that field-level election officials must be neutral.
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