Bangladesh News

The caretaker government will have to take responsibility for any violence on the poll day of January 22, acting Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Justice Mahfuzur Rahman said yesterday.

He was briefing the newsmen at his office on different issues on the upcoming election.

Asked who to take the blame if any killing, bloodshed or hostility takes place on January 22 amid the grand alliance’s decision to boycott and resist the polls, the acting CEC said, “The caretaker government is to take the responsibility, we will not be responsible.” Election Commission (EC) is the agency to arrange the election, he added.

Asked whether the upcoming election would be acceptable amidst the grand alliance’s boycott, he replied, “If 50 percent voters cast their votes in any election, it is accepted then. Let’s see if the election gets that much vote.”

Asked about spending a huge amount of money for holding the one-sided election, the acting CEC said, “Caretaker government could go to the Supreme Court for seeking time or any explanation of the constitution.” The EC is not the authority to seek time from the Supreme Court or any interpretation of the constitution for deferring the election, he observed.

On the speculation to hold the poll after the stipulated 90 days as per the constitution, the CEC replied, “I would violate the constitution if I agree to hold the election after the 90-day period set in the constitution. The word in the constitution is ’shall’ which means ‘mandatory’ (not directional). So the election will be held. Let’s see what happens then.”

Asked whether another general election would take place shortly after the January 22 polls, the CEC said, “If it (the election) is held again later on, it will be.”

In reply to another question, the CEC said, the armed forces will be given all necessary power to maintain pre and post-poll law and order. “They (armed forces) will get everything including the power to make arrest without warrant in order to maintain law and order,” he added.