Emergency and election
It is clear, at least after the recent mayoral elections, that the caretaker government intends to hold the general election without lifting the state of emergency. This intention, till now, is opposed quite strongly by both 14-party and 4-party alliances. Yet, the persistence of the caretaker government with this particular agenda is creating confusion among the politically conscious citizens regarding the motive behind it. Legally, holding elections under the state of emergency is unheard of. In theory, the state of emergency refers to a situation where a citizen's basic civil and political rights are curtailed and the fundamental rights of people are re-established only when the emergency is withdrawn. Therefore, the coexistence of emergency and election is in essence contradictory. However, if the government intends to legalize such exercise through finding small loopholes in our legal framework then one cannot stop them from doing so. But, as citizens we still want to know the logic behind the caretaker government's persistence with this particular agenda. The government's clarification on this issue is important since it will help create a consensus among the political parties which is needed for political stability. If the government has a practical reason which is fuelling their desire to hold elections while maintaining the state of emergency, then they need to discuss their point with the political parties and civil society and create a socio-political consensus regarding this issue. Otherwise, all the elections conducted by this caretaker government will be questioned by political quarters, and this will not be good for us in the long run.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel.
Comments