CEC claims total success
Says nothing happened that can be questioned
Chief Election Commissioner KM Nurul Huda claimed his commission was “100 percent successful” in holding yesterday's Comilla city polls.
Nothing happened in the elections that might call the polls into question, he told journalists at a press conference around an hour after the voting ended at 4:00pm.
“The elections ended peacefully except for some stray incidents,” he added.
Meanwhile, the BNP said the EC failed to hold free and fair elections in Comilla.
The ruling Awami League had a different view on the polls. It said voters exercised their franchise in a festive manner.
The two political archrivals contested the polls for the mayor post.
The CEC said attempts were made to create untoward situations over the elections, but the commission foiled those bids.
He also claimed that all the elections held so far under the new EC were free, fair and peaceful and the Comilla city polls were not an exception.
The Comilla elections were more competitive than others as the candidates of the two major political parties contested it, said Huda. “The Election Commission took huge measures to hold free and fair elections.”
Referring to BNP's statement that the Comilla polls would be a tough test for the EC, he said they didn't want to sit any test, rather they wanted to work.
“We have earned 100 percent success in winning everyone's trust through holding the elections fairly.”
The incumbent EC assumed office on February 15. It has already conducted a by-election for a parliamentary seat and 18 local government polls.
BNP CRITICISES EC
The BNP claimed that the EC failed to resist violence and irregularities by the ruling party men.
“Since morning, Awami League cadres and law enforcers forced BNP leaders and the party candidate's polling agents out of most of the polling centres. Since noon, they blasted cocktails, occupied polling centres and started stuffing ballot boxes,” BNP's Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi told journalists at the party's Nayapaltan central office.
He briefed the media thrice since morning. He alleged that the EC failed to carry out its duties.
Asked whether his party would accept the polls results, the BNP leader said they just informed the media of whatever information they had.
AL BRIEFING
Mahbubul Alam Hanif, joint general secretary of AL, alleged that the BNP was trying to make the Comilla elections controversial sensing its defeat.
“Without coming up with any facts and figures, the BNP said the Election Commission failed to hold free and fair elections. The BNP always talks negatively about polls,” he told reporters at the party chief's Dhanmondi office.
He claimed that voters cast their votes in a festive mood. “Awami League believes in the politics of ballots and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is determined to hold fair elections,” he added.