'In some cases fair polls were not held'

Chief Election Commissioner KM Nurul Huda yesterday said that in some cases fair polls were not held as per the commission's expectations.

“We want fair election. But in many cases we cannot hold the election the way we want to,” KM Nurul Huda said while talking at a workshop for trainers, for the fifth phase of upcoming Upazila Parishad polls.

Field-level Election Commission officials attended the training at Nirbachon Bhaban in Dhaka.

Nurul Huda said that the commission does not want any questionable election and asked the officials to fulfill their responsibilities by enforcing law with an iron hand.

He also said that EC has selected some of its own officials as returning and assistant returning officers for the Upazila Parishad election.

“Officials of Election Commission will be given full responsibilities, if they perform their duties properly with dedication,” he said.

Till now government officials have been made returning and assistant returning officers for the national and local elections.   

Administrative officials work under the EC for several days during election. After election they return to their original duties, the CEC said.

“If we want to have any clear idea about holding elections we cannot do that as they return to their stations,” he added.

Accountability will increase if the EC officials take full responsibilities of election, he added.

EC officials said they were planning to hold the fifth phase of Upazila Parishad election on June 18.

This year upazila elections will be held in five phases.

The first phase of the election will be held on March 10, second phase on March 18, third phase on March 24, and fourth phase on March 31.