EC for PM's attention

The Election Commission yesterday asked the cabinet secretary to draw the prime minister's attention to the violation of electoral code of conduct by Industries Minister Amir Hossain Amu in the run up to Sunday's upazila polls.
The commission has sent a letter to the cabinet secretary in this regard, said EC sources.
Referring to a report run by The Daily Star on Saturday, the letter said the minister violated the electoral code of conduct by joining an election campaign.
The letter was signed by Jesmin Tuli, joint secretary at the EC secretariat.
Amu on Friday at a public meeting introduced Awami League-backed chairman candidate Moniruzzaman in Rajapur upazila of Jhalakathi, which went to polls on Sunday.

The electoral code of conduct strictly prohibits the Speaker of parliament, deputy speaker, chief whip, ministers, state ministers and any other person of similar rank and status from any kind of electioneering in the upazila polls.
The minister, along with local lawmaker BH Haroon and several AL leaders, attended the meeting at Bypass Mor (intersection) of the upazila. The upazila unit of the ruling party organised the programme marking the 94th birth anniversary of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
All the AL leaders, except for the minister, sought vote for the AL-backed chairman candidate. Amu, however, sought blessings for Moniruzzaman.
BRIEFING BY SHAH NAWAZ
Election Commissioner Shah Nawaz yesterday claimed that violence during Sunday's election was not as much as had been feared by the people.
Talking to reporters at his office, he, however, admitted that the intensity of violence kept on increasing as the upazila polls progressed in phases.
In many cases, the contenders did not cooperate with the EC in making the polls free and fair, he added.
JS WOMEN'S SEATS
Meanwhile, the EC yesterday announced the polls schedule for the two reserved seats of woman in parliament. It fixed April 17 for polling.
Out of 50 reserved seats, the commission on March 19 declared 48 women aspirants elected lawmakers unopposed. Nominations of two candidates were cancelled by the EC for telephone bills default.