WAR CRIMES Convicts won’t be able to contest nat’l polls

Cabinet okays draft of ‘Representation of the People (amendment) Act-2013’

The body of weekly Sheelalipi editor Selina Parvin, who was killed during the Liberation War, at Rayerbazar killing field. Photo: Collected

The body of weekly Sheelalipi editor Selina Parvin, who was killed during the Liberation War, at Rayerbazar killing field.

The cabinet on Monday approved the draft of a law that will bar convicted war criminals from participating in the national election.

According to the draft of the law titled ‘Representation of the People (amendment) Act-2013′, a person who is convicted under International Crimes (Tribunals) Act, 1973, will not be allowed to take part in any national election.

The draft will be placed before the parliament for approval, Cabinet Secretary Musharraf Hossain Bhuiyan told reporters after a regular cabinet meeting.

The draft also proposes raising the deposit money of parliamentary election contestants to Tk 20,000 from Tk 10,000.

The contestants have to submit the money to the Election Commission.

The amendment draft law will allow a political party to receive donation in a maximum amount of Tk 25 lakh from a person and Tk 50 lakh from an organisation, which is Tk 15 lakh and Tk 25 lakh respectively in the current practice.

It also stipulates that a person will not be appointed as a polling agent outside his own constituency.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina presided over the meeting held at Bangladesh Secretariat.

Source: The Daily Star