Polls Dialogue: EC to meet journos on Aug 16-17

The Election Commission will hold dialogues with journalists on August 16 and 17 as part of its polls roadmap.

“Talks with journalists from online and television channels will be held on August 16, and discussions with print media journalists on August 17. Around 60 journalists will be invited for this purpose,” EC Secretary Helal Uddin Ahmed told The Daily Star yesterday.

The dialogue is likely to begin at 11:00am at the EC Secretariat, he said, adding that the commission is planning to start the talks early.

The EC earlier had invited 59 civil society members to the talks in which some 35 participated while some others expressed their inability to attend for personal reasons.

In the talks, most civil society members spoke for restoring “no vote” system and ensuring a level-playing field for all political parties to hold the next election in a free, fair and participatory manner.

The EC secretary also said the commission would start holding talks with the political parties from the last week of this month.

The commission will sit with six political parties, two parties each day, before Eid-ul-Azha, he said.

As per their current decision, he said each of the parties would be allowed to join the dialogue with 10 representatives. “The number of political parties' representatives for participating in talks may be increased.”

After the Eid, the EC will resume the talks with the other political parties on September 10, he said.

All the 40 registered political parties will be invited to the dialogue gradually following the registration list of the parties from the bottom.