EC to wait till HC picks out the mainstream

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) ATM Shamsul Huda yesterday said the Election Commission (EC) is absolutely neutral and there is no reason for it to favour any particular party.
"We will not sit with any party--no matter big or small--unless it is the mainstream and the mainstream of the BNP will be determined by the High court. We will have to wait until then," Huda said.
"The two factions of BNP have locked into infighting and the Election Commission had nothing to do with it. They should either solve their problems themselves or wait for the High Court verdict [in this regard]," he said.
The CEC was talking to the media after seeing the photograph-taking work of voter listing at two centres of Patia upazila under Chittagong-12 constituency.
Asked why the two factions of BNP are not being invited to the dialogue on electoral reforms, Huda said if both the groups were invited, it would be tantamount to favouring the BNP.
"If we do that, then what about the four factions of Jatiya Party, five of Islami Oikya Jote and two groups of Workers Party?" he said, adding that the EC does not want to lose its neutrality by favouring the BNP.
He, however, said the election rules would not be finalised without dialogue with the BNP.
He said the draft voter list would be published by June 30 and the election would be held by December this year as per the roadmap, "even earlier if possible".
The EC will be decentralised and its offices will be set up at upazila level with sufficient manpower, he added.
Huda expressed satisfaction about the ongoing voter registration task in Patia and the Chittagong Hill Tracts.
Divisional Deputy Election Commissioner Ejharul Haq and District Election Officer Dulal Talukder accompanied the CEC during his visit.