EC to accept HC verdict on defaulters
The Election Commission would abide by the High Court order on defaulters, as the Commission has decided not to appeal against the verdict due to time constraint.
“We'll accept the High Court verdict because we don't have time in hand,” Election Commissioner M Sohul Hussain said while addressing a training programme arranged for the members of election inquiry committees, formed with senior district judges, at the NEC auditorium in the morning.
He said the Commission cannot appeal against the verdict as yesterday was the last date for the scrutiny of nomination papers. “We couldn't appeal just for lack of time,” he said.
He asked the inquiry committee officials to put in their extra efforts to hold the upcoming elections in a free, fair and acceptable manner. “You're our onetime colleagues and so you have to perform your duties accurately,” he said.
Speaking on the occasion, Election Commissioner Brig Gen (retd) M Sakhawat Hossain said bigwig loan defaulters are slipping out due to loopholes in the law.
Replying to a question, he said, “All of us will have to work without fear to resist the activities of the outlawed groups like JMB. “If you get scared of JMB, they will continue to intimidate you.”
Sakhawat said, “You don't need to be worried about your security, as law enforcing agencies, including police, Ansar-VDP, Rab, BDR and army, would be there on the field.”
He said the Commission has retained the section 91 (e) of the Representation of People's Order (RPO) to avoid the repeat of the scenario people saw in previous years. “If any allegation is brought to us, steps will be taken after proper investigations,” he said.
The EC started the training programme Wednesday, as it formed some 80 election inquiry committees across the country with 160 judicial officers ahead of the ninth parliamentary election.
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