Friday, December 5th, 2008Awami League (AL) and BNP plunge into deep crisis as the scrutiny of nomination papers by election officials has left the arch-rivals without an official candidate in at least 19 constituencies.In some constituencies, even the back-up or independent candidates loyal to the electoral alliances led by two parties were declared unfit to contest the polls.At least 12 BNP candidates were declared unfit to contest the polls while five candidates of AL lost their candidature. Most of them lost their candidature due to non-payment of outstanding bills or loans.The parties are now desperately looking for independents to support in the ...
(read more) Friday, December 5th, 2008The nomination papers of some candidates including a few former lawmakers of both the major electoral alliances were cancelled yesterday, the last day of scrutiny of nomination papers.Returning officers (RO) cancelled nominations of BNP leaders Mirza Abbas and his wife Afroza Abbas, Amanullah Aman and his wife Sabera Aman, Sadeque Hossain Khoka, MA Hashem, and Shahabuddin Chowdhury, AL candidates Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury, Habibur Rahman, Khorshed Alam Sujon and M Idris Ali, JP leaders Engineer Abdul Jabbar and Mujibur Rahman.Election Commission sources said 557 nomination papers have been cancelled in various constituencies in 64 districts.Of the 203 nominations filed ...
(read more) Friday, December 5th, 2008Awami League (AL) in its draft electoral manifesto pledged to review, if needed, the caretaker government system and will continue electoral reforms to strengthen the country's election system.AL policymakers made plans to come up with the promise as the formation and function of the caretaker government since October, 2006, has been mired in controversy, resulting in the long delay in holding the national elections, party insiders said.The AL's draft electoral manifesto says that if the party is voted to power, a reliable election system and regular elections will be ensured, if needed through a close review of the ...
(read more) Tuesday, December 2nd, 2008Seventeen political parties including Awami League, BNP, Jatiya Party and Jamaat-e-Islami must settle on their candidates in the constituencies where they have more than one, and inform the returning officers of the decisions by tomorrow morning.Citing a provision in the Representation of the People Order (RPO), the Election Commission (EC) has already reminded them to finalise polls ticket before the scrutiny of nominations starts on December 3, sources at the EC Secretariat said.According to a list compiled by the EC Secretariat Sunday night, BNP has more than one candidate in 39 constituencies, AL in 26, JP in 13, ...
(read more) Tuesday, December 2nd, 2008Seventeen political parties including Awami League, BNP, Jatiya Party and Jamaat-e-Islami must settle on their candidates in the constituencies where they have more than one, and inform the returning officers of the decisions by tomorrow morning.Citing a provision in the Representation of the People Order (RPO), the Election Commission (EC) has already reminded them to finalise polls ticket before the scrutiny of nominations starts on December 3, sources at the EC Secretariat said.According to a list compiled by the EC Secretariat Sunday night, BNP has more than one candidate in 39 constituencies, AL in 26, JP in 13, ...
(read more) Tuesday, December 2nd, 2008Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) ATM Shamsul Huda yesterday strongly hoped that the state of emergency would be lifted at a suitable time before the upcoming election, as the commission has already made a request to the government in this regard.“We've given our opinion to the chief adviser during a meeting with him. The CA agreed with us and assured that the emergency would be withdrawn at a suitable time,” he told reporters after a meeting with President Iajuddin Ahmed at Bangabhaban.Meanwhile, Commerce and Education Adviser Hossain Zillur Rahman yesterday said the state of emergency will be lifted before the ...
(read more) Tuesday, December 2nd, 2008Chief Adviser (CA) Fakhruddin Ahmed yesterday asked the civil bureaucrats to perform their election duties, rising above all sorts of fear, greed, pressure and influence.Addressing a meeting of the top-ranking officials of Khulna Division in DC's conference room here, the head of the caretaker government categorically said any partisan role or any small lapses in discharging assigned duties will not be tolerated.“I have firm belief that none of you will make any such mistake or take risk,” the CA told DCs, SPs, UNOs and election officials.Home Adviser Maj Gen (retd) MA Matin, Home Secretary Abdul Karim and Khulna ...
(read more) Tuesday, December 2nd, 2008Individuals seeking candidacy in the upcoming parliamentary election are not qualified for contesting the January 22 upazila polls as the caretaker government has amended the upazila parishad ordinance to prevent them from contesting both the elections.President Iajuddin Ahmed on November 25 promulgated an ordinance amending the local government (upazila parishad) ordinance to this end, Election Commission (EC) sources said.At the end of last week, the EC Secretariat received a copy of the gazette notification that contained the amendment, and it will send directives to the Returning Officers (ROs) in this regard.If any parliamentary aspirant wants to file application ...
(read more) Wednesday, October 29th, 2008Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) ATM Shamsul Huda yesterday censured deputy commissioners (DCs) for their 'roles in past elections', and asked them to work with complete neutrality for the December 18 parliamentary poll.He was addressing the second election training workshop for DCs in the National Economic Council auditorium as part of the EC's preparation for holding the upcoming poll in a free, fair, neutral and credible manner. The first workshop was held on Saturday."You'll have to work in a completely neutral manner…..as the upcoming election will be held in the interest of the country's people."Strongly criticising the role some DCs ...
(read more) Wednesday, October 29th, 2008Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) ATM Shamsul Huda yesterday said the use of translucent ballot boxes in the upcoming general election will prevent many of the past electoral malpractices.He was speaking at the launching ceremony of translucent ballot boxes, at Radisson Water Garden Hotel in the city.At the request of the Election Commission (EC), 240,000 translucent ballot boxes were procured at over $5 million through a UNDP project funded by the Canadian government."Since the ballots inside (the boxes) are visible from outside, it will not be possible to place filled-up boxes in the booths or take away half-empty boxes ...
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