Stem violence in UZ polls

THE third phase of the upazila polls beginning today, apprehensions have been expressed about the possibility of violence in the polls. This is set against the backdrop of violence erupting particularly at Sreepur in Gazipur where the polls had to be cancelled.  
Given that there is already survey data on the areas most prone to violence, the EC should be able to take adequate measures to ward off any untoward incident at the polling centres situated at the sensitive points. But sadly, the EC appears to have been resigned to a possibility of violence and irregularities in the next phases of upazila elections although it has promised maximum preparedness.
But putting the blame for violence on staggered nature of the polls does neither stand to reason nor to experience. If one is to take the immediate past CEC's word for it, then the resources under the EC's disposal can be better used to ensure violence-free polls when the polls are held in a phased manner rather than at a time as in the case of national election.
The upazila and numerous other local government elections held between 2008 and 2013 testify to this assertion.
 A closer scrutiny will reveal that it is the lack of will on the EC's part to firmly handle the violators of electoral rules that has been largely to blame for the irregularities and violence during the second phase of the upazila elections.
We hope that the third phase of the upazila polls will proceed peacefully for which the required number of law-enforcers have been placed at the EC's disposal. The candidates including rebels, political parties backing them, the local administration and the election machinery should play their respective roles to make the election free, fair and peaceful.