Talks on EC Formation: BNP, JP to seek polls-time govt

The BNP, Jatiya Party, and the LDP have planned to ask the president to form an election-time cabinet before the next parliamentary polls.

They want to propose this when they meet the president to talk about the formation of the Election Commission.

Tap Here to Add The Daily Star As A Trusted Source

The talks are scheduled to start on December 18.

The BNP, which was invited to the talks on the first day, is likely to request the president to take the initiative to form an election-time government through discussions with political parties.

The Jatiya Party is scheduled to meet the head of state on December 20. It too may discuss the formation of an election-time interim government.

Liberal Democratic Party, a component of the BNP-led 20-party alliance, is likely to place a set of demands, including the formation of an election-time government comprising the leaders of political parties that represented in the parliament of 1996, 2001, and 2008 and have registrations with the EC.

It is supposed to meet the president on December 21.

In the first phase of the talks, President Abdul Hamid also invited Krishak Sramik Janata League on December 21 and Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal, an ally of ruling Awami League-led 14-party grand alliance, on December 22 to the Bangabhaban, said President's Press Secretary Joynal Abedin.

He also said the president would also hold meetings with the other registered political parties, including the AL, in phases.

Sources in the AL said the party during its meeting might recommend some people for the posts of Chief Election Commissioner and commissioners.

There are 40 political parties registered with the EC. Registration of Jamaat-e-Islami, a key ally of the 20-party alliance, was scrapped.

The tenure of the incumbent Election Commission led by Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmad will expire in February.

BNP'S POSSIBLE PROPOSAL

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir told The Daily Star that they would place party chief Khaleda Zia's proposals before the president and hoped that this would help in the reconstitution of a powerful Election Commission.

Fakhrul said a 10-member BNP delegation led by BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia would join the talks and they might place some names for the search committee.

Sources said the BNP might propose four former chief justices for posts in the search committee. They are also considering a woman and a former vice chancellor of a public university.

“We will ask the honourable president that we will fully co-operate with the government if it is serious about forming a stronger EC,” a BNP senior leader said seeking anonymity.

The leader also said apart from the EC formation, the party would also talk about the election-time government, which Khaleda had mentioned before.

“We want you [the president] to play a role in forming consensus on the formation of the election-time government, which is a must for holding a free, fair and inclusive election,” the BNP leader added.

In her proposal, Khaleda said, “To overcome the current political crisis, it is desirable to arrive at a permanent arrangement for an independent Election Commission to conduct national elections acceptable to all under an election-time neutral government … To enable the Election Commission offer the nation a free, fair and credible election, facilitative role of an election-time neutral government is a must.”

JP'S POSSIBLE PROPOSAL

Jatiya Party would stress the need for the enactment of a law on the appointment of the election commissioners.

The party would discuss the formation of the election-time interim government, its jurisdictions, said GM Quader, co-chairman of Jatiya Party.

It would ask the president to make sure the chief of the interim government could not favour his or her political party in the elections.

Quader, however, said they would finalise all these after holding a meeting with the party chief and other senior leaders.

LDP'S PROPOSAL

The LDP would ask the president to form an election-time national government with the consensus of political parties.

The party's demands would include restoration of a democratic environment, release of all political prisoners and withdrawal of politically motivated cases.

“We will say that if he [the president] remains as chief of the interim government, we will accept it,” Shahadat Hossain Selim, joint secretary general of the party, said.

“We will urge the president to take measures to amend the constitution if necessary,” he said.

WHAT LAW SAYS

According to article 118 (1) of the country's supreme charter, the president will make the appointment of the CEC and other election commissioners.

The appointments are supposed to be made under a law but the law has not been made over the past four decades. In the absence of the law, the power remains in the hands of the president.

But the president cannot exercise the power on his own, according to the constitution. He needs the advice of the prime minister in appointing an individual as the CEC or election commissioner. The PM alone is constitutionally empowered to advise the president to act without consulting ministers or others.

In 2011, the then president Zillur Rahman held talks with 23 registered political parties before forming the EC. The Awami league, the BNP, Jatiya Party and other major political parties participated in the dialogue process.