NID card services should remain with EC, say 3 ex-CECs

Three former chief election commissioners (CECs) today said activities and services of national identity cards should remain with the Election Commission.

Former CEC Abdur Rouf, KM Nurul Huda and Kazi Rakib Uddin Ahmed came up with the remarks while talking to reporters after a view-exchange meeting at the Election Commission this afternoon.

Former CEC Abdur Rouf said there's no problem if the information of National Identity Card is at different offices. But as the Election Commission is the parent organisation, they should initiate the main NID.

He said voters may face problems at the polling station if NID information does not match with the voter list. "My point is that the base should be in EC," said the former CEC.

Former CEC Kazi Rakib Uddin Ahmed said the NIDs were made  from the voter list. People will not want to be voters if NID does not belong with the EC.

He said people are no longer that interested in being voters, rather there is more interest in getting the NID. This advantage should not be removed from here.

"The EC has a very large database and it is protected. It's a good system. It should be strengthened," he added.

Former CEC KM Nurul Huda said NID system is created by the Election Commission. If NID is in the hands of the Election Commission, the government will not face any problem. The NID is fully associated with the national election and the voter list.

And if the government gives the job of issuing NID cards to any other body, the EC will face difficulty in working.

On October 10, the cabinet approved in principle the draft of the National Identity Registration Act-2022 on conditions that some of its provisions would be reviewed and some sections of the existing law would be added to it unchanged.