He however questioned the authority of Law Adviser Mainul Hosein suggesting that he and the other election commissioners resign voluntarily.

"You'd better ask him [law adviser] how he could say this," Mahfuz said when reporters sought his comment on the law adviser's suggestion.

"We are in constitutional posts and we have taken oath to be here," added the acting CEC.

Earlier on Thursday, he and his deputies kept mum when asked whether they would resign in the wake of a growing clamour for their exit.

The previous day, Mainul suggested that the EC would have to be reconstituted to pave the way for a free and fair election. He, however, acknowledged that the job is a difficult one as constitutionally, the government cannot sack or remove the CEC or the election commissioners.

They must stand aside willingly for the crisis to end, he noted.

Then on Friday, the law adviser told The Daily Star that soon a new CEC would be appointed. He observed that there was no question of sending the commissioners on leave anymore; they must resign.

"How long can we keep them on leave," he asked.

Meanwhile, Election Commissioner Mahmud Hasan Mansur yesterday declined to comment while the reporters asked him about Mainul's suggestion.

He only said, "We all want peace and the well being of the country."

On Monday, the other two election commissioners--Modabbir Hossain Chowdhury and Saiful Alam--told newsmen that they would leave their posts only if the president asks them to do so.