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Download PDF The Election Commission (EC) unexpectedly backtracked from extending the deadline for submission of nomination papers–which expires today–although in a political development earlier in the morning it agreed to do it.
Sources said there had been a negotiation between the Awami League (AL) led 14-party alliance and the advisers to the caretaker government on extending the nomination submission deadline by four days.
The caretaker government asked the 14-party alliance to sit with the EC on the matter while it will duly advise the EC.
But when a 14-party delegation met the acting chief election commissioner (CEC) yesterday afternoon the EC refused to extend the time limit by more than two days.
According to sources, the BNP also asked the EC not to extend the deadline by more than two days provided the 14-party alliance first announces to take part in the election.
Under the circumstances, the advisory council initiated negotiations with the four-party and 14-party alliances and the EC late last night.
Meanwhile, a top AL policymaker told The Daily Star last night that the 14-party alliance will take part in the election if the deadline for submitting nominations is extend by three days.
An adviser told The Daily Star last night that a solution must come by today afternoon.
If the EC does not reschedule the deadline, the election might be held amid boycott by the AL-led grand alliance, which announced not to file its candidatures today.
But sources said the EC is likely to extend the nomination submission deadline today.
“There is still one day for filing nomination papers. We are yet to decide on rescheduling the election,” Acting CEC Justice Mahfuzur Rahman told reporters while leaving his office yesterday evening.
Asked if the EC will reschedule the election, he said, “I will let you know tomorrow.”
A high-powered delegation of the 14-party alliance for the first time met the acting CEC yesterday and asked him to extend the nomination submission deadline by four days.
They also blasted the EC for its failure to prepare a flawless voter list before announcing the polls schedule.
“We will not file nomination papers tomorrow,” AL Presidium Member Sheikh Fazlul Karim told journalists after the meeting with the acting CEC and other election commissioners.
“We hope all political parties will participate in the election. The outcome of our meetings will be clear tomorrow,” Adviser Prof M Moinuddin Khan told The Daily Star yesterday.
Adviser Shafiqual Haque Choudhury, however, said extension of the nomination submission deadline by one or two days is not more important than the participation of all political parties in the election.
As part of its negotiation with the 14-party alliance, the council of advisers at a meeting earlier in the morning at Bangabhaban asked the EC secretary to rearrange the election schedule by extending the time limit for submission of nomination papers, sources said.
The EC secretary argued against rescheduling the polls timetable again, saying this would create an acute shortage of time for the EC to complete election preparation.
Returning from the Bangabhaban, the EC secretary informed the acting CEC of the advisory council’s advice.
The acting CEC then convened an EC meeting where they decided not to extend the nomination submission deadline.
Sources said the meeting that continued for about two hours almost finalised its decision for extending the time limit by two days, setting the last date on December 26.
Officials at the EC Secretariat were making preparations to publish a gazette notification rescheduling the official polls plan for the fifth time. But suddenly, the move was stopped, sources added.
EC Secretary Abdur Rashid Sarkar declined to talk to the reporters on the issue.
On the 14-party alliance’s demands, Justice Mahfuzur Rahman said they will discuss it tomorrow.
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