Govt forcing EC for redrawing JS constituencies: BNP

News - Govt forcing EC for redrawing JS constituencies: BNP
BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam on Thursday alleged that the government is exerting pressure on the Election Commission in redrawing the boundaries of parliamentary constituencies.

“We’ve information that the government is creating pressure on the Election Commission for delimitating the boundaries of parliamentary constituencies. They’re talking about keeping unchanged the boundaries of 17 parliamentary seats out of 87,” the BNP leader said.

Mirza Fakhrul was talking to reporters following an extended meeting of his party at its Nayapaltan headquarters in the capital.

Earlier, on February 6, the Election Commission published the draft of redrawn parliamentary constituencies, with changes in 87 out of the 300 constituencies ahead of the next general election scheduled for January 2014.

The Commission, however, did not bring any change in the number of constituencies as they were in each district before the 2008 parliamentary polls.

In a letter to the EC on Thursday, BNP opposed the EC’s move to redraw the boundaries of 87 parliamentary constituencies.

The main opposition also accused the Commission of making the move to benefit the ruling AL.

Charging the government with trying to redraw the boundaries of the parliamentary seats as per their own choice, Fakhrul, also BNP spokesperson asked the EC not to be influenced by the government.

Expressing deep shock at the demise of President Zillur Rahman, he said “Due to the National Mourning, BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia’s tour to Bogra and Joypurhat has been shifted to March 23 from March 22.”

Source: UNB Connect