Search panel may not disclose final 10
The search committee is not likely to disclose whom it will recommend to the president for the posts of the chief election commissioner and other commissioners.
"So far, our decision is that we won't reveal the names. We will recommend the names to the president, and it will be up to him to decide whether the names will be disclosed or not," a member of the panel told The Daily Star yesterday, wishing not to be named.
Revealing the names before sending them to the president will be "discourteous", and some quarters may also create a controversy over it, added the member.
Earlier in the day, the six-member committee shortlisted 20 people for its final list of 10 for the five EC posts. The 20 names were not disclosed.
"At today's meeting, a preliminary list of 20 people has been made from the proposed names after scrutinising the candidates' qualifications as per the [relevant] law. The final list will be ready at the next couple of meetings," Md Shamsul Arefin, Cabinet Division secretary (coordination and reforms), told journalists after the panel's fifth meeting at the Judges' Lounge of the Bangladesh Supreme Court Building.
He said the committee would hold its next meeting at 4:30pm today at the same venue.
Sources said the panel had a detailed discussion on whether or not it would disclose its picks. All members agreed that there were no legal obligations to publish the names.
The newly passed Election Commission law also does not mention anything about disclosing the names, a committee member said, requesting anonymity.
The member also said they were shortening their list based on the candidates' honesty, courage and track record in service.
After the formation of the search committee on February 5, it asked political parties, professional bodies and individuals to submit names for the upcoming EC. The tenure of the one led by KN Nurul Huda expired on February 14.
The panel then held meetings with eminent citizens, election experts and media personalities in four phases to get their suggestions and opinions on the EC appointments.
Many of the invitees recommended that the panel disclose all the names proposed. They also said the committee should publish the names of its picks before sending the nominations to the president.
They argued disclosing the names would ensure transparency in the process, saying people would be able to give opinions on the candidates.
Later, all the 322 proposed names were published on the Cabinet Division's website. It was found ex-bureaucrats, followed by educationists and jurists, dominated the list.
Later, the list was cut down to 50.
The BNP and some other opposition parties did not propose any names, citing no confidence in the search committee. They also observed the president cannot appoint the CEC and other commissioners without consultation with the prime minister, who is the head of the ruling Awami League.
As per the EC law, the committee will propose 10 names -- two names against each post -- to the president, who will then appoint the CEC and other ECs.
The Cabinet Division is giving secretariat support to the search panel, which has to forward its nominations to the president by February 24 as per the law.
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