Upazila polls end on disquieting note
THE fifth and last phase of the upazila polls concluded on Monday amid rigging and violence under the seemingly helpless watch of the law-enforcers. Evidently, the incidence of violence and irregularities has progressively been on a rising curve, which reached the peak in the final phase. Many voters have not only been virtually disenfranchised, their faith in the electoral process has touched a new low.
All the incidents of capturing polling centres, driving away of voters and rival candidates' polling agents from polling booths and stuffing of ballot boxes with fake votes, and so on, with impunity have only destroyed the sanctity and integrity of the upazila electoral exercise.
The EC by its brazen-faced complacency about the elections is only trying to defend the indefensible.
The fact that instances of vote-rigging with attendant violence increased from the third phase of the polls to the fifth phase is also indicative of the ruling party's desperation to see its favourite candidates win by fair means or foul. An impression that is difficult to shrug off.
So, neither the EC nor the ruling party can wash their hands of the dismal state the election process has been relegated to.
If it is to ensure the credibility of future elections, the EC must probe the incidents of rigging and irregularities and set an example by bringing the culprits to justice.
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