Party Registration: EC flags six discrepancies in the NCP application

The Election Commission has identified six discrepancies in the application submitted by the National Citizen Party seeking registration as a political party ahead of the upcoming 13th national election.

The constitutional body issued a letter to NCP Convener Nahid Islam on July 17 following preliminary scrutiny, asking the party to rectify the issues and submit the necessary documents by August 3.

The EC's letter said the party did not submit a list of all functional district offices with their corresponding addresses. Additionally, the rental agreements for the Dhaka and Sylhet district offices failed to mention the party's name.

The list of all upazila and thana-level offices with addresses was missing from the application. Furthermore, in 25 upazilas or thanas, the minimum requirement of 200 registered voters as party members was not met. The EC also noted that the rental agreement for the party's office in Itna upazila, Kishoreganj, did not include the party's name, while the agreement for the Haluaghat upazila office in Mymensingh lacked both the party's name and office address.

The EC letter further said the application did not mention the amount of party funds, nor was the fund amount specified in the attached financial source breakdown. The final page of the party's executive committee resolution on registration was also unsigned.

It added that the party's constitution does not include any provision authorising the central parliamentary board to finalise nominations for parliamentary elections from panels prepared by members of the ward, union, thana, upazila, or district committees.

Lastly, the EC noted that the application lacked a certification confirming that the party's documents and activities do not violate the Constitution. It also did not include confirmation that individuals convicted under the Bangladesh Collaborators (Special Tribunals) Order, 1972, or the International Crimes (Tribunals) Act, 1972, are not affiliated with the party.

NCP is among 144 political organisations that applied for registration after the EC opened the process on March 10. While the initial deadline was April 20, it was later extended to June 22 following requests from 46 parties, including NCP.

All 144 applicants failed to pass the preliminary scrutiny for registration, the EC said on July 15. The EC granted the new parties an additional 15 days to submit the required documents and information.