Instead of addressing the reporters himself, CEC MA Aziz asked Acting Secretary of Election Commission (EC) Secretariat Mohammad Zakoria to talk to them.

Hearing the news that the CEC talked to satellite TV channel ntv at his office, a group of journalists, who had been waiting on the EC premises, rushed to his office for his comments on the preparation of the voter list.

They sought appointment for meeting the CEC through his personal secretary. A few minutes later, however, Zakoria emerged from the CEC's office room and told the journalists that the CEC asked him to talk to the press.

The CEC, who always used to avoid journalists and blasted the media at a function in April, said on Thursday he would talk to the media from now on. "My door is always open for you," he told reporters.

But recently, he talked only to state-run television channel BTV, declining to talk to the press.

Zakoria defended CEC Aziz for talking only to ntv, saying, "The chief election commissioner talked to reporters on Thursday, but the ntv reporter was not present there. Later, the ntv reporter convinced the chief election commissioner and talked to him."

He said the CEC told the ntv that the EC is yet to receive the certified copy of the Supreme Court verdict that upheld the January 4 High Court directives for revising the existing voter list.

"It is difficult to implement the court's directives until the Election Commission receives the certified copy," the acting secretary quoted the CEC as telling the ntv.

The CEC also said the EC will implement the court's judgement properly in preparing the voter list for the next parliamentary election, Zakoria said.