Asks EC to amend RPO
Joining the electoral talks with the Election Commission, the ruling Awami League yesterday proposed introducing a legal provision to punish parties’ rebel candidates contesting parliamentary polls as independent contenders.
If a leader is expelled from a party for contesting parliamentary elections ignoring the party’s decision, s/he should be declared disqualified from contesting two consecutive parliamentary polls from the day of expulsion, the AL proposed.
Head of the 13-member AL delegation at the talks Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury, also deputy leader of parliament, placed her party’s proposal and urged the EC to take steps for necessary amendments to the Representation of the People Order to this effect.
In the wake of intra-party conflicts in many areas of the country, the AL came up with the proposal to prevent dissidents from contesting the next parliamentary election as independent candidates, party insiders said.
Meanwhile, a rebel candidate defeated the AL-nominated candidate in the November 18 by-polls in Tangail-3 constituency.
As per the AL proposal, a political party will collect nomination papers from all its intending candidates in the constituencies in advance and nominate one candidate from each constituency.
“Therefore, only the candidate nominated by the party will be able to contest the polls. But in no way, others seeking party nomination can contest the polls as independent candidates,” the AL said.
In its written proposal, the AL said if party men ignore the party decision, it not only hurts party discipline but also shakes the base of democracy.
Asked about the justification of such a proposal, AL General Secretary Ashraful Islam said they just placed it. “Now, the Election Commission may tally it with the provisions of the constitution and RPO, and seek opinions of other parties. Then it may make a decision.”
Neither Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmad nor election commissioners made any comment in response to the AL proposal.
The ruling party opposed the EC’s move for redrawing the boundaries of constituencies ahead of the next parliamentary elections. It proposed that the EC hold the elections with the existing boundaries of the constituencies unchanged.
“The boundary of parliamentary constituencies was redrawn in 2008. And boundaries of 130 (out of 300) constituencies were changed at that time. Therefore, there is no need to redraw those so quickly,” the AL proposal said.
It proposed redrawing the boundaries in 2018. “If the commission wants to redraw the boundaries of constituencies now, it will create many difficulties,” AL leader Tofail Ahmed said.
At the talks held at the EC Secretariat, the AL leaders lauded the EC’s activities and said their party will extend all out support to the EC for holding the next parliamentary polls in a free and fair manner.
“Awami League believes a free and fair parliamentary election will be held with the participation of all political parties. And we will extend our all out support to any of your [EC] move to ensure a free, fair and participatory election,” Ashraful said at the talks.
Source: The Daily Star