A number of Dhaka city mayor aspirants have blasted the Election Commission for not taking proper steps to evaluate poll expenditure by candidates.
In response, the commission admitted its lack of manpower to ensure that spending limits are adhered to, which is key to proper polls.
In face of demands by various candidates to stop use of ‘black’ money in the polls and ensure level playing field, Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmed said they also want the same.
However, they have not taken measure to evaluate poll expenditure and would act only if there are specific accusations, the CEC said.
Commissioner Abdul Mobarak said they would be putting up on their website poll expenditure declarations by the candidates, which details the source of income and the expenses, to ensure transparency.
But candidates are not satisfied and blasted such ‘cosmetic ‘ steps.
“The polls have become a money game. With no proper steps to monitor expenditure, proper polls are not possible,” Zonayed Saki, a Dhaka North mayor aspirant, told bdnews24.com.
“The competition is unfair. Maintaining expenditure limits is a key requirement for the competition.”
Independent candidate Saki went on to blast a number of his competitors for violating the expenditure limits. “Huge amount of funds are being spent for advertisements in various media, including online ones, and in constituencies.”
“It has become a gamblers’ paradise. The right of voters to select a candidate of their choice is taken away from them,” the Ganasanghati Andolan leader said.
“Wherever this funding comes from, be it his own or from other sources, it would have an effect on the operations of the city corporation if he wins. People would be cheated to recover this money.”
The commission has set Tk 5 million as the spending limit for Dhaka North mayor aspirants and Tk 3 million for those in Dhaka South and Chittagong.
Councillor candidates can spend from Tk 100,000 to Tk 600,000 depending on the number of voters in their wards.
But a number of EC officials have said on condition of anonymity that most candidates are spending far in excess of the limit. The EC can cancel candidature if the limit is exceeded.
Saki’s Communist Party of Bangladesh comrade, Abdullah Al Kafi Ratan, is thinking of lodging a complaint with the Election Commission.
“Even though candidates were supposed to spend Tk 5 million for the total poll, we have news that some candidates are spending that amount in a day.”
Taking a swipe at ruling Awami League-backed contender Annisul Huq, Ratan said, “Although I do not know much about the campaign by the BNP-backed contender, I have news about the Awami League-backed candidate as I have people close to me in his camp.
“Even though a candidate was supposed to have one electoral camp in every police station area, he has nine to 10 camps in each ward, where huge amount of money is spent every day.
“I found out by asking around that they are paying 5-6 taka to put up a single poster, there are [hundred thousand] of such posters around Dhaka.”
He also went on to blast Huq for his online campaign, “I am thinking of complaining to the Election Commission today [Thursday] about his violation of poll codes by putting up advertisements here and there on online versions of various newspapers.”
Ratan continued that the elections would not be fair if use of ‘black money’, ‘muscle power’ and ‘religion’ is not stopped and zero partisanship by the administration is ensured.
“The scope before Bangladesh to become free of violent politics is being wasted.”
Meanwhile, BNP-backed candidate Tabith Awal defended himself saying that as he is campaigning on foot, he would stay well within his spending limit.
Contenders also raised similar demands during interactions with the Election Commission. Independent candidate Sultan Bahar had urged steps to stop ‘black money’ use by utilising mobile financial platforms like bKash.
‘Keeping tab on poll expenditure impossible’
Election Commissioner Abdul Mobarak said that keeping track of expenditure of each and every candidate is impossible for the commission. “Until now, candidates of parliamentary and local government elections have been submitting records of their expenditure to the commission.
“The rule is there and they follow it. We never had an instance of anyone complaining about this.”
“Where will EC get enough manpower to go around each ward and keep tab on how much mayor and councillor aspirants are spending? They will submit expenditure records within 30 days after the vote. If anyone is upset and lodges complaints, we will look into it.”
The commission led by former CEC ATM Shamsul Huda had increased spending limits of candidates ten folds and introduced setting the limits on number of voters.
It also arranged a monitoring system to keep tab of expenditure by candidates in each ward.
Source: Bd news24