New law on formation of EC
We welcome the honourable President's remarks made while talking to the JSD leadership who went to call on him to discuss the issue of selecting the Election Commission (EC). He said that he would consider the proposal of the enactment of such a law in line with relevant article of the constitution. We laud this stance as the country has not yet been able to enact a law in this regard as yet despite the constitution spelling it out quiet plainly.
A reliable election commission is kernel to the flourishing of true democracy in any country. Its role is vital in not only making democracy vibrant, its effective oversight of the electoral process inculcates people's confidence in both democracy and in the office of the EC. As such it should be constituted on the basis of a legal framework as our constitution demands, and as prevalent in many countries, and not on any arbitrary formula or partisan consideration. We are only too aware of the consequences of ad hoc procedures in appointing the EC.
In this regard, we recall the recent statement of the Prime Minister where she said that election in Bangladesh would be held the way it is conducted in other democratic countries. That necessitates an EC that has the confidence of all the stakeholders, which is not the case now. Election in a true democracy is a complex affair where the commission exercises its clout without extraneous let or hindrance to keep the electoral process free, fair and impartial. We believe the PM should address this issue and enact a law to take care of this problem soonest.
Comments