Polls in 4 city corporations today under emergency

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All eyes are now on today’s polls, the first ones under the military-backed caretaker government with the state of emergency in full force.

With the cessation of electioneering at midnight Saturday, relaxation of the emergency powers rules (EPR) in the election areas too came to a close. This means over 13.67 lakh people in four city corporations and nine municipalities will have to cast vote under a state of emergency.

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) ATM Shamsul Huda however believes the emergency rules being in effect will not cause any obstacle to polling.

“It will instead complement the three-tier security in place for a peaceful conduct of the polls,” he added, talking to reporters at his office yesterday.

On June 20, the EC announced the polls schedules while the government relaxed the emergency rules to allow processions and rallies for election campaigns.

According to the electoral rules, the time limit for electioneering that began on July 14 ended at midnight Saturday, 32 hours before the polling starts at 8:00am today.

Talking to The Daily Star, noted jurist Shahdeen Malik said the emergency rules have got back to full mode automatically with the end of campaigning.

“And for that the government did not have to re-enforce the emergency rules with notification,” he added.

With a debate simmering over whether a free and fair election is possible under the state of emergency, Chief Adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed has recently said the EPR would be eased further for the local government polls.

Contacted, the home ministry officials however said they were not aware of any such move.

While the candidates enjoyed full freedom in canvassing over the last 20 days, there will be no let-up in the emergency curbs for the voters.

In fact, they are going to polls with fundamental rights like freedom of movement, of thought and conscience, and of speech suspended for the state of emergency.

The EC wanted the EPR to be relaxed until gazettes of the election results are published, but the government did not agree.

Together with the reinstated EPR, the strict electoral rules will not allow any rallies or processions till August 7. So winners will have to be resigned to not doing much in victory celebrations.

According to political analysts, today’s elections might determine whether the all-important ninth parliamentary polls too will be held under the state of emergency.

Over 5,500 local and international observers will monitor the polls, widely considered a test for the EC’s preparations for the general election planned to be held in the third week of December.

Political parties have long been demanding a complete withdrawal of the state of emergency before the parliamentary polls.

CEC Huda yesterday said the commission is satisfied with the election atmosphere, which he said is much better than in previous times.

He said the contestants did not face any difficulties campaigning because of the relaxed state of emergency.

“We hope the polls will be free and fair, and voters will elect honest and competent persons,” he said, adding that these polls will help the efforts to change the election culture for the better.

The CEC is scheduled to visit Manikganj municipality to observe polling there. Another election commissioner Muhammed Sohul Hussain was already in Sylhet.

Around 20,000 police and Ansar members have been deployed across four city corporations and nine municipalities so there is no obstruction in polling scheduled to continue without break till 4:00pm.

Besides, a special strike force and mobile teams of police, Rab and Ansar will work to ensure security. They will be on election duty through August 7.

Of 715 polling stations, 579 are for city corporations and the rest for municipalities.

The authorities have identified 283 polling stations, mostly in the city areas, as vulnerable in terms of security.

According to the arrangements, at least 30 law enforcers will be on duty at each of those stations.

The stationary force yesterday completed taking position at the polling stations.

Forty-six candidates are vying for four mayoral posts, 752 for 118 councillorship, and 194 for 39 councillor posts reserved for women in Rajshahi, Khulna, Barisal and Sylhet city corporations.

Fifty-nine candidates are competing for mayoral posts, 429 for 81 councillor posts, and 120 for 27 reserved women seats in Naohata, Dupchanchia, Chuadanga, Sripur, Manikganj, Fulbaria, Shariatpur, Golapganj and Sitakunda municipalities.

The number of voters in four city corporations is over 10.93 lakh while that in nine municipalities is over 2.73 lakh.

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