EC to wait for BNP's opinion till Dec, says CEC
The Election Commission will wait until December for BNP's opinion on the electoral reform proposals, said Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) ATM Shamsul Huda yesterday.
Talking to reporters after a view exchange meeting on strengthening the election management system, he said the EC would finalise the reform proposals by December and send them to the government to translate those into laws.
"We [EC officials] do not have any problem if BNP changes its mind and wants to sit with us anytime before we finalise the proposals," he said.
The EC on June 7 began holding talks with political parties, seeking their opinions on a set of proposals.
The proposals are on redrawing parliamentary constituencies, state funding for political parties to meet their election expenses, appointment of the CEC and election commissioners, and amending the Representation of the People Order.
The EC has so far consulted with 31 registered political parties and civil society and media personalities. The main opposition BNP and six other political parties boycotted the talks terming the present EC "biased" towards the ruling Awami League.
Awami League joined the talks on Sunday and asked the EC to bring BNP to the dialogue to reach a political consensus.
The ruling party, however, did not give any opinion on the proposals and said it has to consult with the party chief and discuss at the party forum first.
CEC Huda said the debate is still on centring the caretaker government system. But the consultation with AL has been successful.
NEXT JS POLLS
The tenth parliamentary elections will be held in time, CEC Huda said ruling out any possibility of the imposition of martial law or a state of emergency in the country again.
"The parliamentary election will be held in 2014. There is no doubt about it. But at this moment I can't guess how the polls will be held [after cancellation of the caretaker government system]."
Huda said the political parties must come forward to determine how the election should be held.
The next polls will be held in a free and fair manner and there is no scope for political chaos as people are now more conscious.
The EC is being strengthened, the CEC noted.
The EC has taken a project to improve election management system at a cost of Tk 140 crore funded by Bangladesh government and different donor agencies.
At the view exchange meeting yesterday at National Economic Council Auditorium, Election Commissioner Brig Gen (retd) M Sakhawat Hossain and representatives of different donor agencies and government officials concerned were present.
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