The job of the Election Commission (EC) is to ensure the right of voters to vote, so that they have the opportunity to elect the candidate of their choice. But KM Nurul Huda commission is doing everything except protecting the right to vote of the voters. They have proposed to change the name of the Conduct of Election Rules of 1972 and to repeal the provision of cancelling the candidature of a candidate or fining the candidate. Election experts have termed the initiative of the commission as unnecessary and unreasonable.
In order to make any law, it is essential to take the opinion of those concerned. But the election commission did not feel the need to talk to anyone about amending the law. Besides criticism from the outside, a member of the five-member commission has also objected to the decision. Another member said the initial draft included cancellation of candidature and fines which was later removed from the list. Is it possible that it has been omitted without the knowledge of the two commissioners?
The purpose of the Electoral Act is to remove any impediment to a fair, free and peaceful election. But the KM Nurul Huda commission did not make any effort to remove the obstacles in the election process. On the contrary, it has taken initiative to remove the provisions that were introduced to make the election process smooth and transparent. Even after the law ministry rejected the proposal sent by the commission, the commission continues its efforts to make it effective.
People pardoned the politicians but did not forgive the Election Commission who broke their trust. There is no such precedent in Bangladesh.
If any amendment to the electoral law is brought in good faith and in the wider interests, there should be no objection to accept it. But it is seen that the purpose of amending the law of the election commission is to make the electoral process weaker and fragile.
In the past, there was widespread irregularities in the preparation of voter lists. In response, the ATM Shamsul Huda commission prepared a voter list with national identity card in 2007. The commission approved the draft law on registration of political parties, which includes all the provisions related to the registration of political parties in the RPO. We don’t think there is a need to make new laws.
It has been more than three years since KM Nurul Huda took charge of the commission. They could not organise a fair election. In such situation this attempt to further weaken the electoral process by amending the electoral law is in no way justifiable. The EC should compensate for the damage they have done to the electoral system rather than making it worse. If we look at the history, we can see that the people pardoned the politicians but did not forgive the Election Commission who broke their trust. There is no such precedent in Bangladesh.
