EC Mahbub now opposes separate law for party reg
Election Commissioner Mahbub Talukdar is now opposing Election Commission's move to have separate law for political parties getting registered.
The EC prepared the draft of "Registration of Political Parties Act-2020", repealing the chapter VIA of the Representation of the People Order-1972.
The RPO until now deals with the process of registration of political parties.
In a "note of dissent", Mahbub Talukdar yesterday differed with the EC's move saying that if the separate law was made, RPO 1972 would turn into a "handicapped law".
"I am utterly opposing the move to make a separate law by repealing the chapter VIA of the Representation of the People Order-1972. This is a thoughtless decision," Mahbub said in the note.
The "note of dissent" was submitted at an Election Commission meeting yesterday, held at the Nirbachan Bhaban in the capital's Agargaon with Chief Election Commissioner KM Nurul Huda in the chair.
The meeting was held to discuss the draft of "Registration of Political Parties Act-2020".
Mahbub said that RPO 1972 is a historically important document, and unique memorabilia of the country's independence. If the separate law was made RPO would lose its organ and turned into a cripple one.
RPO can be amended if necessary, he said, adding that "proposal of new position and position holders at the draft law was unnecessary and there are some debates on the issues".
Mahbub said working paper of yesterday's meeting cited that draft was prepared on the basis of decision of an EC meeting held earlier.
There were differences of opinions within the Election Commission regarding the law in the primary discussion. Further discussion was needed. Two large political parties and others are also protesting the draft law, he said in the note of dissent.
After the meeting, Mahbub told reporters that he submitted the note after failing to get any ways of compromise regarding the matter.
EC senior secretary Md Alamgir was not available for comments after repeated attempts over phone regarding the note of dissent.
While briefing reporters after the meeting, Alamgir said the commission has finalised the draft of the law that will now be sent to the law ministry for their vetting.
When the RPO was passed at first there were no provisions for registration of political parties. The provision of registration of political parties was included in 2008.
"Then [in 2008], there was discussion on having separate law [for registration of political parties]… but it did not happen due to time constrain. Now current commission feels necessity of a separate law," Alamgir said.
The Election Commission in June prepared a draft of a law with stringent rules for political parties getting registered.
According to the proposed law, political parties will have to fulfill at least two conditions out of three to get registered with the EC.
The three conditions are: a party needs to secure at least one seat with its electoral symbol in two previous parliamentary elections; securing of five percent of total votes cast in the constituencies in which its candidates took part in any of the aforesaid parliamentary elections; it needs to set up a functional central office, by whatever name it may be called with a central committee, having offices at least in one-third administrative districts, and offices at least in 100 upazilas or metropolitan thanas; and the party must have a minimum 200 voters as its members in each upazila.
Till now, a political party needs to meet at least one condition out of the three.
Earlier, Mahbub on Monday in a separate "note of dissent", also differed with the EC's move to revise the Representation of the People Order, 1972, and the election-related laws of local government bodies.
Mahbub said if the order was revised without incorporating a provision that empowers the EC to cancel candidature of candidates, the commission would turn into a "cat", let alone a "toothless tiger".