Announcing the election schedule

countryman · Gold Discusser Joined: 28 Nov 2006 Posts: 27

Most recent hot news is about announcing election schedule. Here is the news from Daily Star related to this. I have posted the news to help in voting about this. Very Happy

EC rushes to set poll day Jan 21
Acting CEC, 2 ECs skip media as election schedule announced
Shakhawat Liton

In a surreptitious and hasty move threatening to pitch the country into further political turmoil, the Election Commission (EC) yesterday announced the schedule for the next parliamentary election, setting January 21 as the polling day.

The EC Secretariat issued a gazette notification to that effect at 10:00am, urging the electors to choose a member from each of the 300 constituencies to constitute the ninth parliament.

The announcement from the EC now headed by controversial acting Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Justice Mahfuzur Rahman followed a consultation with President/Chief Adviser Iajuddin Ahmed late at night Sunday.

Most of the advisers to the caretaker government have expressed surprise over the announcement and said they were not informed about it.

The Awami League (AL) led 14-party combine, Jatiya Party (Ershad), Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and some other parties that have been calling for reconstitution of the EC and opposing unveiling of the polling schedule before correction of the voter list have outright rejected the timetable.

They have also declared that they will resist any attempt to hold election as per this schedule.

However, the BNP-led four-party alliance that has lately been pressing the caretaker government for an immediate announcement of the schedule welcomed the decision yesterday.

According to the official polls plan, December 10 is the last date for filing candidature while December 11 is the date for scrutiny of the candidatures by the ROs. Withdrawal of candidature will close on December 19.

Neither the acting CEC nor any of the two election commissioners--SM Zakaria and Mahmud Hasan Mansur-- talked to the media about the schedule.

In the past, the CECs themselves would unveil the schedule either at a press conference or in an address to the nation.

But this time, the EC at a meeting in the morning authorised EC Secretary Abdur Rashid Sarkar to brief the media. Accordingly, he held a press briefing at the conference room of the EC Secretariat at 2:00pm.

"The president and chief adviser was informed last night [Sunday night] about the election schedule announcement," Rashid Sarkar said.

Asked if there is any scope for rescheduling the polls in view of the prevailing political situation, he said, "There's always a scope for it."

In another development shortly after the schedule announcement, the president appointed two controversial former bureaucrats as the election commissioners.

Justice Mahfuz, who authorised himself to take charge as the acting CEC on last Thursday causing yet another uproar regarding the EC, yesterday evening welcomed the two newly appointed election commissioners at his office. He said he is proud of having them as colleagues in the commission.

Earlier on November 22, CEC MA Aziz, widely controversial for his unilateral actions and obstinacy, went on a three-month leave in the face of growing public clamour for his resignation.

For the first time in the country's history, the next parliamentary election is now set to be held under supervision of an acting poll chief.

Meanwhile, in another gazette the EC Secretariat yesterday afternoon appointed 68 Returning Officers (RO) and 536 Assistant Returning Officers (ARO).

The 64 incumbent deputy commissioners (DC) were appointed as the district ROs. The divisional commissioners of Dhaka and Chittagong were appointed ROs for the constituencies across the two metropolitan cities. The additional divisional commissioner of Barisal was appointed RO for the constituency comprising areas of Barisal and Pirojpur and the additional divisional commissioner of Dhaka RO for the constituency covering parts of Mymensingh and Netrakona districts.

Of the 536 AROs, 480 are incumbent upazila nirbahi officers (UNO), 29 are assistant commissioners (land), 10 district election officers and the rest are drawn from different cadres.

Of the 64 DCs, 30 had been appointed by the immediate past BNP-led alliance government while 16 have been appointed this month in line with its [BNP-Jamaat] "fit list". The caretaker government has appointed the rest from its own list.

Of the 480 UNOs, 100 have been appointed by the caretaker government while the remainder have been serving since the time of the BNP government.

The jobs of the ROs and AROs are placed under the EC with effect from yesterday, and from now on, the interim government will not be able to transfer them without approval of the commission.

According to the electoral laws, "During the period after the publication of a notification under Article 11 [announcement of schedule] and the expiration of fifteen days after the declaration of the result of the election by the returning officer under Article 39, no judicial officer below the district judge, deputy commissioner, superintendent of police or officer subordinate to any of them serving in the district concerned, shall be transferred to any place without prior consultation with the commission."

Adviser Dhiraj Kumar Nath, also a member of the advisory committee on administrative affairs, yesterday told reporters that it might be difficult to transfer any DC or UNO if the EC differs with the move.

Asked why the election schedule was declared before completion of administration reshuffle, the secretary to the EC Secretariat said it has nothing to do with the admin reshuffle.

Asked if he thinks the country will see another election like February 15, 1996, Sarkar replied in the negative. He also ruled out the notion that the latest developments would mean violent confrontations between the opposing political parties towards street fights.

The EC Secretariat yesterday afternoon in a circular directed the ROs to issue public notices in respective constituency or constituencies announcing the election schedule and inviting people to file candidatures.

But sending election materials to field level election offices could not be completed as of yesterday as the secretariat was earlier informed that the schedule might be declared either on November 29 or 30.

The essential materials like different types of forms relating to filing and withdrawal of candidatures, deposit receipts, income-expenditure statement and affidavit forms to furnish information about candidates in line with the High Court directives did not reach many district and upazila election offices. But as per the laws, any person can demand the necessary forms to file candidature soon after the announcement of the schedule.

The EC Secretariat yesterday evening also prepared another circular to be sent to the Bangladesh Bank and the finance ministry, seeking their cooperation in detecting the loan defaulters, if any of them, files candidatures, suppressing the information, sources said.

It also issued instructions for the ROs regarding some legal provisions that include among others the issues of election expenditure and electioneering.

Besides, the same day the EC Secretariat sent a letter to the law ministry regarding formation of 70 electoral enquiry committees each comprised of a joint district judge and a senior assistant district judge to contain pre-poll irregularities. The committees are likely to be formed today, the sources at the EC Secretariat added.

shimul · Viewer Joined: 29 Nov 2006 Posts: 2 Location: Dhaka

Its really wired !! This is not a wise decission!! none of advisors are aware about this schedule announcement. So personally i believe its not fare activity of President.

Everytime he is taking the major decission without discussing with the advisors. Then whats are the hell will advisors do for us !!

It seems we are bound to few autrocrat !!! This is not a good practice of Democracy ! We much have to break out from this darty situation.

I never support strike or blockadge like activity. 10-15 days blockage could stop a country's breadth!!! so my request to all political leaders ; PLEASE stop such descructive activity and help us, help the country and help yourself.

Use your power for country's development not for personal development (snaching other's right).

Fare election is the dream for all of us! So please dont deceipt us!!

badthinker · Viewer Joined: 29 Nov 2006 Posts: 4

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