Editorial
Proposed changes in RPO
Will not add to EC's power
THE government-approved changes to the Representation of the People Order (RPO) will not render the Election Commission (EC) the potency that it needs to be effective. We want a strong and independent EC that can hold credible national elections which will be beyond reproach. Yet, the proposed changes in the RPO exclude a number of crucial recommendations made by the EC.
Though the proposal to increase candidate expenses is a welcome change taking into account the inflationary pressures over the last few years, we find it disquieting that several other EC proposals were ignored, proposals which we consider to be essential. The outright rejection of 'electronic voting machine' comes as a surprise since the suggestion was not even put up by the ministry of law to the Cabinet for consideration in the draft bill. The fact that the Commission's proposed power to cancel application for intending candidates for false information or for hiding facts in the nomination paper will deprive the EC of the power to check electoral fraud ab initio. And the law ministry chose to ignore an EC proposal to make government officials answerable for negligence of duty during poll time that would be considered a punishable crime, will in effect be of little help to the body in conducting the elections.
We strongly urge the government to give the EC the clout to ensure a peaceful and orderly election that will be acceptable both nationally and internationally. And the EC should demand it should it feel weakened by omitted proposals in the draft bill.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel.
Comments