Black money holders won't be allowed to contest polls

Chief Election Commissioner ATM Shamsul Huda yesterday said the Election Commission (EC) will ensure that black-money holders cannot contest the next polls.
“Election will be held by the end of 2008. This time nomination-business won't be allowed like in the past,” he said, adding that the Election Commission (EC) is formulating law to this effect.
The CEC was speaking at an opinion-exchange meeting on formulation of voters' list with photograph at the River Research Institute Auditorium.
Huda said the EC is now fully independent and the EC secretariat will come out of the control of the Prime Minister's Office over the next 15/20 days as part of the ongoing reforms launched by the interim regime.
About inviting political parties to dialogues on reform of electoral rules, the CEC said there are around 170 parties in the country and it would not be possible to talk with all of them. The EC will sit with those who had representation in parliament in the past.
Faridpur Deputy Commissioner Yaha Yeah presided over the meeting. Brig Gen Imamuzzaman, Police Super Kusum Dewan and Faridpur army-in-charge Maj Anisur Rahman were, among others, present.
The meeting was informed that work on the new voters' list would begin in Faridpur on September 25 and continue till July 4 next year.