Let's not weaken EC

Former chief election commissioner ATM Shamsul Huda yesterday urged the Election Commission not to give up its authority to cancel the candidature of a candidate in parliamentary polls for violation of electoral laws.
“If the commission gives up the authority, it would be like immersing an idol in the river, because we [the previous EC] had to fight hard to incorporate the provision in the RPO before the last national polls,” he told a roundtable at the Jatiya Press Club.
Sushasoner Jonno Nagorik (Sujan) organised the discussion styled “Reforming electoral law: Where we are?”
“We had to change the schedule of the last national election five times as BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia didn't agree with the provision. Finally, we achieved it after a hard struggle. If the provision is cancelled, it would be a heart-wrenching loss," he noted.
The incumbent EC on July 25 sent a set of proposals to the law ministry for bringing changes to the Representation of the People Order (RPO). Just after two days, the EC decided not to retain its sweeping authority to cancel the candidature of an MP hopeful for violation of electoral laws.
The RPO is a legal framework for conducting the Jatiya Sangsad polls.
Defending the move, Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmad on Tuesday told newsmen that this power was “meaningless” and exercising such powers would go against the philosophy of creating a level playing field for all candidates.
At the roundtable yesterday, all the speakers observed that if the EC sticks at its proposal, incidents of violation of electoral law would increase sharply and a chaotic situation would prevail ahead of the next election.
Former election commissioner M Shakhawat Hossain said the EC should have a strong monitoring system to check any violation of electoral law. He suggested the commission withdraw its proposal for introducing “tick mark” system in the ballot paper.
It is very difficult to hold election in 300 constituencies in a day without the help of the military, observed Shakhawat.
Presenting the keynote paper, Sujan secretary Badiul Alam Majumdar said the EC's proposals for amending the RPO are not acceptable as it will curb the commission's power and weaken the institution.
He made a seven-point proposal to amend the RPO. The proposals include inclusion of defence forces in the list of law enforcement agencies, introduction of “no vote” system and empowering the EC to cancel an election for violation of electoral law.
Convener of Nagorik Oikko Mahmudur Rahman Manna said the RPO should have a provision to allow party rebels to contest the polls. This is important to break the “autocratic” attitude of the two chiefs of the two major political parties, he added.
Noted columnist Syed Abul Maksud, Jatiya Party presidium member Anisul Islam Mahmud, eminent academician Ajoy Roy spoke at the programme, moderated by Sujan president M Hafiz Uddin Khan.