NID Services at Home: Move ‘suicidal and irrational’
The shifting of services related to National Identity (NID) cards from the Election Commission to the Ministry of Home Affairs means the nail in the coffin for the election system, said Election Commissioner Mahbub Talukdar yesterday.
He termed the move "suicidal and irrational" and he was concerned that such move was like a "funeral procession" of overall election management as voter lists and information of national identity cards are closely related to each other.
"I do not understand the purpose for which this suicidal and irrational decision was taken. This is against Article 119 of the Constitution. Bangladesh Election Commission Officers Association and Bangladesh Election Commission Secretariat and Field Level Officers-Employees Unity Council have expressed concern over this. I am declaring solidarity with them," Mahbub said while talking to journalists at his office.
Article 119 of the constitution deals with the EC functions.
He said that he couldn't even imagine that the NID services would be shifted to the home ministry.
The constitution has made the EC an independent entity and the commission would save the independence given by the constitution, Mahbub said.
A letter dated May 24, signed by the Joint Secretary of the Cabinet Division, has directed to replace the word "government" with "Election Commission" in the process of handing over the NID. On the other hand, it has been asked to take steps to hand over the existing infrastructure and manpower protection services of NID, Mahbub said.
Voter lists and national identity cards are related to each other. The shifting will complicate the preparation of accurate voter lists and the EVM system based on the national identity card database.
"If this is done, I think it will not be possible for the Election Commission to perform its duties as per Article 119 of the constitution," the election commissioner said.
The instruction to transfer NID from the EC is like cutting a limb of the commission, he added.
Mahbub said that the decision of shifting NID activities without consulting with the commission was like an insult to the commission.
"Never in the history of the EC has there been such a bad day", he feared.
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