TIB for dissolution of House - bdnews24.com
TIB for dissolution of House
Staff Correspondent, bdnews24.com
Published: 29 Sep 2013 19:09 BdST Updated: 29 Sep 2013 19:09 BdST
The Berlin-based civil society organisation Transparency Internationals Bangladesh chapter believes a level playing field for parties contesting the next general election cannot be ensured with parliament remaining effective under a partisan government.
TIBs Executive Director Iftekharuzzaman on Sunday shared his body's opinion on the current political standoff over a poll-time government with journalists at a press conference at Brac Inn Centre in the capital.
Election results will be debated if Parliament remains in effect while election is held. The matter of creating a level playing field for all the parties has to be considered, said Iftekharuzzaman.
The 15th constitutional amendment, for the first time, has made it possible for a party to stay in power during the election. The 10th national election is set to be held with the ruling Awami League still running the government.
The BNP has been opposing the amendment stating that a free and fair election is not possible under a partisan government. The election is to be held the election in the period between Oct 25 and Jan 24.
The opposition has been demanding that the constitutional provision for a caretaker government to oversee the national election be reinstated. AL has discarded the demand.
TIB believes it would be challenging for the Election Commission to keep a Minister or Member of the Parliament from influencing the poll as Parliament would still be active.
The challenges the EC must deal with ahead of the next election are gaining the trust of political parties, doing away with political influence in the local government elections, getting over the existing legal limitations and gaining the trust of the people.
TIB feared that partisan influence would play its role if District Commissioners are appointed Returning Officers for conducting the 10th Parliamentary election.
DCs must not be appointed the Returning Officers. There is nothing that makes it mandatory for tasking them with the same responsibility decade after decade. Officials from the EC have to be made Returning Officers.
According to Iftekharuzzaman, the district election officials can be engaged to perform this job.
DCs had performed the duty of returning officer in all the last nine parliament elections. EC officials perform this job in by-elections and local government elections.
The EC had earlier informed that they were compelled to involve DCs in the election due to lack of manpower and experience.
TIB for dissolution of House
Staff Correspondent, bdnews24.com
Published: 29 Sep 2013 19:09 BdST Updated: 29 Sep 2013 19:09 BdST
The Berlin-based civil society organisation Transparency Internationals Bangladesh chapter believes a level playing field for parties contesting the next general election cannot be ensured with parliament remaining effective under a partisan government.
TIBs Executive Director Iftekharuzzaman on Sunday shared his body's opinion on the current political standoff over a poll-time government with journalists at a press conference at Brac Inn Centre in the capital.
Election results will be debated if Parliament remains in effect while election is held. The matter of creating a level playing field for all the parties has to be considered, said Iftekharuzzaman.
The 15th constitutional amendment, for the first time, has made it possible for a party to stay in power during the election. The 10th national election is set to be held with the ruling Awami League still running the government.
The BNP has been opposing the amendment stating that a free and fair election is not possible under a partisan government. The election is to be held the election in the period between Oct 25 and Jan 24.
The opposition has been demanding that the constitutional provision for a caretaker government to oversee the national election be reinstated. AL has discarded the demand.
TIB believes it would be challenging for the Election Commission to keep a Minister or Member of the Parliament from influencing the poll as Parliament would still be active.
The challenges the EC must deal with ahead of the next election are gaining the trust of political parties, doing away with political influence in the local government elections, getting over the existing legal limitations and gaining the trust of the people.
TIB feared that partisan influence would play its role if District Commissioners are appointed Returning Officers for conducting the 10th Parliamentary election.
DCs must not be appointed the Returning Officers. There is nothing that makes it mandatory for tasking them with the same responsibility decade after decade. Officials from the EC have to be made Returning Officers.
According to Iftekharuzzaman, the district election officials can be engaged to perform this job.
DCs had performed the duty of returning officer in all the last nine parliament elections. EC officials perform this job in by-elections and local government elections.
The EC had earlier informed that they were compelled to involve DCs in the election due to lack of manpower and experience.
