‘People from different professions should be eligible for CEC, commissioner posts’

The report on "Appointment of the Chief Election Commissioner and Election Commissioners Bill-2022" was placed in the parliament today -- bringing some changes including in eligibility and ineligibility for appointment of the CEC and election commissioners.

Shahiduzzaman Sarker, chief of parliamentary standing committee on law ministry, placed the report before the House.

The committee changed the section 6 (Gha) of the bill where it was mentioned that any person convicted for a criminal offence involving moral turpitude and sentenced to at least two-year imprisonment would not be eligible for the post of CEC and election commissioners.

It removed the two-year term of imprisonment and kept only the term "imprisonment".

The bill earlier mentioned that for becoming the CEC or election commissioner, one should have at least 20 years of working experience in any important government, judicial, semi-government or private post.

The parliamentary committee has recommended to bring amendment in this section and add "autonomous and other professions' besides government, judicial, semi-government or private posts".

If the law is passed with this amendment, people from different professional bodies will be eligible for the posts of CEC and election commissioners.

Law Minister Anisul Huq placed the bill in parliament on January 23 seeking to give a legal shield to the current and previous Election Commissions formed through search committees.

The bill was later sent to the parliamentary standing committee on the law ministry for scrutiny and submit it before the House within 7 days.

Once passed, the law will provide legal cover to all activities of the search committees.

The tenure of the incumbent commission, led by CEC KM Nurul Huda, expires next month.

As per the proposed law, a six-member search committee will be formed following the president's approval for forming the EC.