Snakes and ladders: Where will the next EC be in the game?
The history of our Election Commission may be likened to a large extent to the popular story of a monkey and a greased pole. The monkey wants to climb up the pole of 50 metre height. He first climbs up one metre but he falls back by the same height. Again he climbs up two metres but slides back by one metre. He climbs up three metres and falls back by one metre. Finally, after many attempts, the monkey finally reaches the top of the pole and does not slip back.
In the last 25 years since restoration of democracy, the EC climbed up the ladder of success sometimes. But it fell back almost equal times. It could not prevent itself from falling back due to confrontational culture in politics which always poured grease on the EC's path making it slippery and difficult to negotiate.
The EC-led by Justice Abdur Rouf climbed up the ladder of success by holding the fifth parliamentary election in a free and fair manner in February 1991. But it had to slip back in 1994 during the Magura rigged by-election. Again the EC-led by Justice Sadek had to slide back more by holding the one-sided sixth parliamentary election in February 1995 amid a growing political crisis.
The two ECs-led by Abu Hena and MA Sayed were able to climb up the ladder of success by holding the seventh and eighth parliamentary elections in a free and fair manner in June 1996 and in 2001 respectively. But under leadership of Justice MA Aziz, the EC went back a few notches as it was mired in controversy for many of its actions including the preparation of a voter list with more than one crore fake voters, in the run up to the ninth parliamentary election due in January 2007.
Amid growing political crisis, the state of emergency was declared on January 11, 2007 which led to the cancellation of the scheduled election. Aziz and all others election commissioners had to resign after the declaration of a state of emergency.
Formed in February 2007, the EC-led by ATM Shamsul Huda then accomplished the uphill task of preparing a flawless voter list with photographs and sweeping electoral reforms. It successfully held the December 2008 parliamentary election. With its diligence the EC was able to bring back people's overwhelming confidence in it. Its success was considered as a big boost for the EC and strengthening the electoral system.
But the present EC-led by Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmad failed to live up to people's expectations and accomplish the tasks carried out by his predecessor for the sake of a continuation of electoral reforms. Amid political crisis it held the one-sided parliamentary election which put it in the bracket of previous ECs led by Justice Sadek and Justice Aziz. Almost all the local government elections held after January 2014 were controversial because of undue influence in the polls and allegations of stuffing ballots. The electoral system has been largely destroyed and has slipped back quite a few steps from the ladder.
The current EC has made the tasks difficult for its successor. The new EC which will be formed next February will have to carry out the formidable task of restoring people's confidence in it by repairing the damages in the electoral system. Therefore, the formation of new EC with competent persons appears to be very important.
Wrapping up talks with political parties President Abdul Hamid is supposed to form a search committee in January to form the new EC in the middle of the following month. His dialogue initiative generated some hope that the new EC will be free from controversy. The most crucial task of the new EC will be holding the 11th parliamentary election in January 2019. For holding the parliamentary election in a free and fair manner, it will have to accomplish some important works including bringing necessary reforms to electoral laws and restoration of people's confidence in this constitutional body. The new EC will have to conduct the 11th parliamentary election under a partisan government. So, it must demonstrate its strength and leadership ability to hold a free and fair parliamentary election with a partisan government in office.
Before 2019, the new EC will have scope for a dress rehearsal by holding some major elections to local government bodies. Elections to five city corporations -- Rajshahi, Khulna, Barisal, Sylhet and Gazipur will be due in 2018. If the EC can hold the city corporation elections in free and fair manner, it will help largely to regain people's confidence in it before the 2019 parliamentary election. Any failure to do so will further jeopardise the future of the electoral system, determining the fate of the next parliamentary election. If the next parliamentary election is not participatory and fair, it will bulldoze afresh the country's fragile democracy which largely exists only in elections.
Considering all aspects, the formation of the new EC is immensely important. The new EC will have no alternative to climb up the ladder of success. Any fresh fall back may be suicidal for the country's democracy. Political parties should realise the importance of this truth and cooperate with President Abdul Hamid, to form a strong EC with competent people, who are able to give leadership to bring qualitative changes in the electoral system.
For the sake of the country's democracy, the next EC must keep climbing up the ladder of success so that its successor can reach the top of the ladder. Political parties and the government must cooperate with the EC to prevent it from slipping back.
The writer is Special Correspondent, The Daily Star.