As the National Citizen Party (NCP) is planning to field candidates in all seats in the upcoming elections, keeping this in mind, its policymakers have now focused on strengthening the party’s organisational capacity and fulfilling the election commission conditions for registration.
They have initiated a process to form a special team in this regard.
The NCP, formed by student leaders who led the July uprising, made its debut on 28 February. In the meantime, the election commission has issued a public notice inviting applications from new parties for registration.
In conversations with NCP leaders at different levels, it was learned that the party aims to form committees at union, upazila, thana, and district levels within the next two months.
The EC notice mentioned that interested pirates must submit applications for registration by 20 April.
According to sources, the NCP is trying to fulfill the conditions within the stipulated period. Preparations are underway to establish the required number of party offices and complete other necessary works. It is less likely that the process will advance in the holy month of fasting. Hence, the NCP may apply to the EC for extending the timeframe.
NCP leaders have already started communicating at the grassroots level, while the work of organising the party will begin in full swing after the Eid-ul-Fitr.
According to sources at the high level, a decision will be taken after registration whether the NCP will join an electoral alliance or contest the elections alone.
NCP senior joint convener Ariful Islam Adib said the process of forming a special team is underway to prepare for the registration.
If a party wants to participate in the national elections with a party symbol, it has to first apply to the election commission for registration. According to the representation of the people order, 1972, if a party wants to get registration, it must fulfill any one of three conditions – win at least one seat under the party symbol in any parliamentary election held after independence; secure 5 per cent of the total votes in the constituencies where the party’s candidates have contested; and have an active central office with a central committee and offices in at least one-third of the districts. Besides, there must be party offices in at least 100 upazilas or police stations in metropolitan areas, each of which must have at least 200 voters as members.
In addition, some provisions must be clearly mentioned in the party charter. At least 33 per cent of the posts at all levels of the party committees, including the central committee, must be reserved for women members. There must be no affiliate organisations for students, teachers, finance, business, or industrial workers.
However, the election system reform commission proposed relaxing some conditions for the registration of new political parties. They proposed that a party must have offices in 10 per cent of districts and 5 per cent of upazilas or police stations, in addition to at least 5,000 members. As these proposals have not yet been finalised, the previous conditions will be applicable for registration of new parties.
Two NCP leaders told Prothom Alo on Wednesday that they are receiving various suggestions over meeting the registration conditions, through the party’s Facebook group. However, no decision has been made yet regarding the office. They are now looking for a central office.
Besides, they are yet to finalise a constitution for the party. The second general meeting, scheduled before the Eid, is likely to finalise all these issues, according to them.
Joynal Abedin Shishir, the senior member secretary of the NCP, said their party is against imposing any conditions for registration. “Even if the NCP follows the current process, there are more than 450 citizen committees across the country. Just by converting them (to party committees), the conditions for registration will be fulfilled. It will not be difficult for us to fulfill the conditions of the district office and upazila office, Insha Allah.”
Another NCP leader said on condition of anonymity that a delegation from the NCP will go to the election commission next week and apply to extend the registration time. “Time may be sought until May-June. Besides, the reform commission recommendations will be presented.”
