Emergency won't be compatible with free polls

The state of emergency during voting would not be compatible with free and fair elections, Erica Barks-Ruggles, US deputy assistant secretary of state for democracy, human rights and labour, yesterday said.
After meeting election commissioners M Sohul Hussain and Brig Gen (retd) M Sakhawat Hussain at the Election Commission Secretariat, Barks-Ruggles reiterated her government's stand that the entire election process should be free, fair, transparent and credible.
"We don't see having the state of emergency in place at the end of the year during the vote because that won't be compatible with that (free and fair election)," she said when asked how the election would be fair if the state of emergency prevails during the election.
"We look forward to the process (lifting emergency) and hopefully as soon as possible," added Barks-Ruggles, who was accompanied by US ambassador James F Moriarty.
The US deputy assistant secretary said the entire election process should be free, fair, transparent and credible that includes having active free media and active free civil society.
Barks-Ruggles said she discussed the electoral preparations, processes of voter registration and crosschecking of the draft list and election observations that all lead to holding a transparent election. "We're happy that all the process and preparations are going on and going well," she said.