Editorial
UP polls conducted well
EC should build up on the trend
Even though the Union Parishad (UP) elections have been held after two years' delay, the Election Commission (EC) deserves thanks for its success in conducting those more or less peacefully. The local administration, too, have a share in the credit for ensuring successful conduct of this first phase of the six days long polls for the UPs.
There is no denying the fact that the UPs' are the most intensely contested polls. Small wonder in the past, both before and after the UP polls, one would hear of instances of severe violence. Murder or hijacking of candidates by rivals, snatching of ballot boxes, occasional brawls between supporters of contending parties and suchlike occurrences often marred the polls. That is not to say that the ongoing UP polls have been totally free from any kind of untoward happenings. Reports have it that among the 190 UPs spread over 24 upazilas under Khulna Barisal and Chittagong divisions where the elections were conducted Tuesday, sporadic cases of violence did take place only at a few centres. But considering their number compared to those in the past years, they were few and far between. If the same trend continues through to the end over the next five days, that would be something to rejoice at. One has to wait until the first phase of the UP polls in progress is concluded before giving the final judgement about it.
While the peaceful conduct of the UP polls is an occasion to be acclaimed, one cannot say that just holding of an election is an end in itself. Once all the hullabaloo is over will come the real test of the administration in ensuring that this basic tier of the local government is able to play its desired role and deliver the goods. To that end, the government will have to be sincere about effecting devolution of powers on to the local government bodies.
In view of the manner in which the UP polls are being conducted, it would be a real achievement on the part of the EC, if it is able to retain this trend even in the next general election. Every well-conducted series of elections strengthens our belief in the electoral process.
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