DCC polls in limbo

The Election Commission yesterday deferred polls to Dhaka City Corporation by at least five months, as the government refused to have the elections on May 31.
Completing all preparations, the EC on April 8 informed the LGRD ministry about its decision to hold the DCC polls on May 31, around three years after expiry of the current DCC's tenure, EC officials said.
The government high-ups yesterday informed the EC that they want to redraw the boundaries of the wards under the DCC before the polls and it asked the commission to delay the polls until winter.
"I talked to the top level of the government over telephone today. They do not want the polls now as they want redrawing of the boundaries of DCC wards," Chief Election Commissioner ATM Shamsul Huda told reporters yesterday afternoon.
"It is a very complicated task [redrawing the boundaries]. Even if it is started now, it will not be possible to hold the DCC elections before October," the poll chief said.
Asked whether the EC got any letter about delaying the elections, the CEC said he had heard that the LGRD ministry sent a letter to this effect but he did not receive it yesterday afternoon.
The LGRD ministry is legally empowered to redraw the boundaries of the DCC wards and all other local government bodies. In line with the law, the LGRD ministry also increased the number of wards of the DCC to 92 from 90. But it did not resolve the inequality of the population in the wards and the LGRD ministry now wants to do the job, EC officials said.
In fact, the policymakers and ruling Awami League leaders believe the ongoing crises of power, water and gas and high prices of essentials might go against ruling party-backed mayoral candidate in the DCC elections.
They favoured holding the polls in winter believing the power situation would improve and prices of essentials would go down then.
The government's decision for not holding the DCC polls on May 31 annoyed the EC, which has been planning the DCC polls since holding the December 29, 2008 parliamentary elections.
"The LGRD ministry is the custodian of local government bodies and their polls are held according to the government's desire. We do not have control on local government bodies' elections," the CEC claimed.
He said all preparations are complete to hold the DCC polls. "But what can we do if they [LGRD ministry] are not interested," CEC Huda said, adding, "Cooperation from all is required to hold the polls."
"We tried our best to hold the DCC polls in May. We promised the polls several times but failed to deliver," the CEC said. "It seems the DCC election is jinxed."
Sources in the EC said the commission had decided to announce the schedule for the DCC polls on April 18 and other preparations were being made with this in mind.
The government's refusal to have the polls in May also prompted the EC to review its legal position on holding elections to local government bodies. The laws empower the EC to fix timetable for polls to local bodies and conduct those.
The EC, however, did not want to lock horns with the government over the DCC polls as the DCC's tenure expired on May 14, 2007. According to the city corporation law, the polls were supposed to be held within 180 days before expiry of the DCC's tenure. But election could not be held due to the state of emergency at that time.
Interestingly, the last BNP government, assuming office on October 10, 2001, moved to hold polls to DCC quickly to unseat the then DCC mayor who was also an Awami League leader.
It scrapped the LGRD ministry's circulars for redrawing boundaries of the wards under the DCC to pave the way for polls. At that time the redrawing tasks triggered legal complexities and due polls to DCC could not be held in 1999.
Cancelling the redrawing task, the then BNP government ensured holding the DCC polls on April 25, 2002. The Awami League-led government took the opposite stance allowing the DCC mayor, who is also a BNP leader, to continue office.
The EC has, however, decided to hold the polls to Chittagong City Corporation before its tenure expires on June 25. It has decided to announce schedule for the polls next month, EC officials said.
Contacted by The Daily Star yesterday over telephone, Election Commissioner Brig Gen (retd) M Sakhawat Hussain said the EC is determined to hold the CCC poll on time.
The delay in holding the DCC polls might upset the EC's entire plan to begin the polls to other local government bodies--union parishads and municipalities. The EC had planned to hold the polls to the two local government bodies between May and July.