EC to warn candidates to abide by code of conduct
The Election Commission (EC) will issue a circular by tomorrow, instructing prospective candidates for the August 4 polls to four city corporations and nine municipalities to abide by the electoral code of conduct.
The circular will also warn the aspiring candidates about the consequences of violating the code of conduct, including possible cancellations of candidacies, officials in the EC Secretariat said.
"Nobody should risk cancellation of a candidacy by violating the electoral rules," Election Commissioner Muhammed Sohul Hussain told The Daily Star yesterday. "We will take actions against violations of the electoral code of conduct," he asserted.
Although the electoral rules and the code of conduct stipulate that no candidate in the August 4 polls is allowed to use his or her political affiliation, since Friday's announcement of the poll schedule many grassroots level leaders of Awami League, BNP and other political parties have been running unofficial campaigns using the names of their parties and their political portfolios, even before being selected as candidates.
The rules stipulate that candidates in local government elections are not allowed to use the names of political parties they are affiliated with, the parties' electoral symbols or any name of any political leader in campaigns.
And for the August 4 polls, candidates may start campaigning on July 14, a day after the deadline for withdrawing candidacies, according to the rules.
Some grassroots level political leaders, who are also aspiring candidates for the August 4 polls, are reportedly even using their party offices for electoral activities, although according to the code of conduct, the polls to city corporations and municipalities are non-partisan.
A person might be imprisoned for six months or fined Tk 50,000 for violating the electoral code of conduct, and if a candidate violates the rules his or her candidacy might also be cancelled.
When, Election Commissioner Sohul Hussain's attention was drawn to the ongoing practice, he said offices of political parties are for their organisational use, adding, "Use of party offices and party names for electoral purposes is illegal…none should get involved in illegal activities."
The restrictions came into effect automatically with the announcement of the election schedule and will continue to be in effect till the polling day is over.
The EC instructions are coming almost a week into the announcement of the election schedule.
The returning officers (RO) and assistant returning officers (ARO) will be asked to publicise the commission's instructions in the constituencies where the polls will be held, the EC officials said referring to the draft of the circular.
Copies of the code of conduct are already being distributed among aspiring candidates along with application forms for candidacy, the officials added.
The EC has also been arranging workshops for aspiring candidates to assist them in learning the electoral laws and the code of conduct.
It already organised a workshop in Sylhet City Corporation on June 18.
Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) ATM Shamsul Huda and two other election commissioners --- Muhammed Sohul Hussain and Brig Gen (retd) M Sakhawat Hussain --- are expected to talk to aspiring candidates in Barisal City Corporation on June 26.
They will also talk to the aspiring candidates in Khulna and Rajshahi city corporations this month.
"We are trying to make them aware of the electoral rules and the code of conduct so they can abide by those during campaigns," Election Commissioner Sohul said.
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