BNP, allies stand against electoral reforms
BNP and its allies yesterday told the Election Commission (EC) they will not accept the new electoral provisions being implemented in the upcoming parliamentary polls.
Sitting with the EC separately, BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami and Islami Oikya Jote (IOJ) also called for scrapping of constituency re-demarcation and immediate withdrawal of the state of emergency.
Yesterday's were the last in a series of electoral talks between the commission and political parties.
BNP and its alliance partners demanded that the new electoral laws and rules be scrapped or suspended till the national election is over.
They argued that it is not possible for them to abide by the recent ordinance revising Representation of the People Order (RPO).
For time constraints, none of the major political parties would be able to meet the registration criteria that require amendments to their constitutions, they added.
Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) ATM Shamsul Huda however said political parties must register with the EC to contest the parliamentary election.
Talking to reporters after the dialogue at the EC Secretariat, he said, “We are trying to work out a solution to time constraints.”
He however did not elaborate on the alternatives they are seeking.
The polls chief said the commission will sit today to decide on the next course of action in light of discussions with the political parties.
In reply to complaints of BNP, Jamaat and IOJ, the EC said political parties would be given adequate time to amend their constitutions to fulfil the conditions for registration, meeting sources said.
EC Secretariat officials said the commission is working towards an easier registration procedure. It is planning to add a fresh provision to the RPO so the parties can do with provisional amendments to their constitutions.
As per the proposed provision, those changes will have to be ratified at national councils within six months since formation of the ninth parliament, explained the officials citing draft proposals for further amendments to the RPO.
The four-party components still declined to accept the registration rules.
The BNP delegation told the EC there is no scope for them to have even provisional changes to their constitution. They cannot do anything to the party constitution without convening a national council, meeting sources said.
“The electoral provisions laid down in the revised RPO are absurd and unrealistic. They warrant a lot of amendments.
“That's why we have asked the commission to hold the parliamentary polls according to the unamended electoral laws and constituencies,” BNP Secretary General Khandaker Delwar Hossain, who led the 11-member delegation, told reporters.
Former lawmaker Mushfiqur Rahman, who was in the delegation, told The Daily Star last night their secretary general has categorically said that registration should not be an obstacle to holding the polls.
Asked about the proposal for a relaxed registration procedure, Muhammad Kamaruzzaman, acting secretary general of Jamaat, said there is no guarantee that provisional amendments to the constitutions will be approved by party councils.
He said Jamaat has serious objections to the criteria for registration. “We are also against making it mandatory.”
The party in its written proposals to the EC opposed the condition that says a political party shall not be qualified for registration if the objectives in its constitution run counter to those in the constitution of the country.
The provision also says a party shall be adjudged ineligible to register also if its constitution seems to encourage discriminations on grounds of religion, race, caste, language or sex.
Jamaat said it has reservations also about the criterion of having a specific provision in party constitution to ensure at least 33 percent positions at all committees are reserved for women by the year 2020.
In the talks, Islami Oikya Jote delegates echoed Jamaat's view on registration.
BNP opposed the stipulation that political parties sever ties with front organisations and chapters abroad.
It said it is also against the provision of picking parliamentary candidates from panels prepared by the grassroots leaders.
“We have told the commission that the new laws must be revised. Since revision takes a long time it will be difficult for them to complete the job in such a short period of time,” Delwar told reporters.
“The commission said they consider our views to be rational," he added.
Coming out of the meeting that lasted around three hours, BNP chairperson's adviser Brig Gen (retd) ASM Hannan Shah said, “We have asked the commission to repeal or suspend the new laws and hold the parliamentary polls in line with the previous ones.”
With the dialogue with BNP and allies, the EC rounded off its electoral talks with the political parties that began on September 12 last year.
Comments