Bangladesh News

The Election Commission (EC) has strongly opposed the caretaker government’s move to introduce direct elections to the post of zilla parishad chairman.

Citing a number of difficulties in introducing the new system, the commission suggested that the zilla parishad chairman should be selected by the government.

Regarding creation of two posts of vice-chairman in zilla and upazila parishads, the EC has only agreed with the government move to create a post of vice-chairman exclusively for women in each of the two local government bodies, sources in the EC said.

The EC on Wednesday sent its opinion on draft ordinance on formation and functions of zilla, upazila and union parishad to the LGRD ministry, asking it to empower the commission with the authorities to formulate rules for conducting polls to these bodies.

Opposing the LGRD ministry’s move to introduce direct polls to the post of zilla chairman, the EC said zilla parishad chairman had never been elected on universal franchise in the past. Problems will occur if the chairman is elected on universal franchise, it added.

“If two vice-chairmen are elected along with a chairman to zilla parishad on adult franchise, additional offices, establishments and manpower would be required for them. Besides, there will be difficulty in fixing their jurisdictions,” a source said quoting the EC’s remarks on the matter.

As per the existing laws, the zilla parishad chairman is elected by the electoral college comprising the mayor and commissioners of a city corporation, chairmen of upazila parishads, chairmen and commissioners of municipalities and chairmen and members of union parishads.

Showing similar reasons, the EC also opposed creating two posts of vice-chairman in upazila parishad. But it favoured creation of a post of vice-chairman in each zilla and upazila parishad for the empowerment of women.

In zilla parishad, the government will appoint a female vice-chairman while in upazila parishad, a female vice-chairman along with the upazila chairman will be elected on adult franchise, said the EC.

In an effort to curtail absolute power of zilla and upazila parishad chairmen, the LGRD ministry in its draft law proposed to create the posts of vice-chairman in 61 district (excepting the three hill districts) and 482 upazilas.