Investigate the EC for ‘graft, other misdeeds’

Forty-two distinguished citizens have urged the president to constitute Supreme Judicial Council to investigate allegations of corruption and other misconduct against the Election Commission.

In a letter to President Md Abdul Hamid on December 14, they said the SJC should be formed under article 96 of the constitution.

The SJC comprises the chief justice and two other senior-most judges of the Appellate Division to probe the allegations against SC judges, the Election Commission and other constitutional bodies, and recommend removal of individuals involved in the allegations.

In the letter, the citizens mentioned that members of the EC, under KM Nurul Huda's leadership, have committed misconduct and irregularities, including spending Tk 2 crore for delivering speeches as "special speakers" and Tk 8.08 crore in recruiting staffers for the Commission.

Three commissioners have also allegedly been using cars in violation of relevant rules.

The letter also said the EC has committed gross misconduct and irregularities in buying and using the electronic voting machines, and in holding the 11th parliamentary election, and also elections to Dhaka North and South city corporations, and Khulna, Gazipur, Sylhet, Barishal and Rajshahi city corporations.

With the letter, they attached relevant documents regarding the allegations.

They spoke of the allegations at a virtual press conference yesterday.

Dr Shahdeen Malik, one of the signatories, told the press conference that the present EC, after its formation in February 2017, has been involved in financial corruption, irregularities and gross misconduct.

He said the SJC (led by the chief justice) can probe the allegations against any constitutional post-holder, including the EC. "We believe the allegations against the present Election Commission will be found true in the probe."

Another signatory, Dr Iftekharuzzaman, told the press conference that the current EC has broken the record of corruption, irregularities and misconduct compared to that of previous ECs.

The commission can voluntarily step down from office on ethical grounds, he said, adding that both the president and the prime minister can consider the allegations against the EC and take necessary action.

Dr Badiul Alam Majumdar said the EC has betrayed the blood of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and freedom fighters and let down democracy by committing corruption and irregularities and misconduct.

The signatories include Prof Serajul Islam Chowdhury, M Hafizuddin Khan, Dr Akbar Ali Khan, Advocate Sultana Kamal, Ali Imam Mazumder, Dr Hameeda Hossain, Prof Moinul Islam, Khushi Kabir, Dr Badiul Alam Majumdar, Dr Shahdeen Malik, Dr Iftekharuzzaman, Dr Shahidul Alam, Syeda Rizwana Hasan, Prof Anu Mohammed, Dr CR Abrar, Prof Tofail Ahmed, Prof Asif Nazrul, Dilip Sarker and Barrister Jyotirmoy Barua.