* Entire constituency vote cancelled due to intimidation, EC's circular
* Who will monitor the election, informed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
The Election Commission (EC) is spending a busy time centering the 12th parliamentary election. As it’s the responsible for conducting the election wants a fair vote among those who are already preparing to contest the election by submitting nomination forms, the committee is working towards. The EC has already made several changes in the administration. It has also issued notices to several influential candidates for allegedly violating the rules.
A circular has also been issued on what the EC should do if intimidation and pressure is created in the polling centers. Besides, the EC has started hearing and disposing of 561 appeals filed against the returning officer's decision from yesterday and decided to settle all the appeals by December 15.
According to EC sources, the legal branch of the EC heard 100 applications on the first day of the appeal settlement. Among them, 56 candidates, including Mahi B Chowdhury, singer Dolly Sayantani, former vice-chancellor of Jahangirnagar University Anwar Hossain and YouTuber Hero Alam, have returned their candidacy. The hearing will resume today and will continue till December 15.
56 candidates returned their candidacy on first day
The deadline to appeal the cancellation of candidacy was last Saturday. Till the last day, 561 appeal applications were filed against the returning officer's decision. The Election Commission will dispose of the appeals from December 10 to 15. The first day of the disposal of the appeals, the Election Commission returned the candidature of 56 candidates after hearing 100 appeals yesterday. They are BikalpaDhara Bangladesh candidate Mahi B Chowdhury for Munshiganj-1, BNM candidate Dolly Sayantani for Pabna-2, independent candidate Anwar Hossain for Netrokona-5 and Bangladesh Congress candidate Hero Alam for Bogura-4.Of the appeals, 32 were rejected. Verdicts on six appeals are pending. The plaintiffs on four appeals were absent. The EC will hear all the appeals by December 15. EC legal branch officials said this on December 10.
EC Additional Secretary Ashok Kumar Debnath said 2,716 nomination papers were submitted for 300 seats. Of these, the returning officers rejected 731 during the selection, which is 26.92 percent or 27 percent of the total nomination papers submitted. And 1,985 nomination papers have been valid, which is 73.08 percent or 73 percent of the nomination papers submitted.
The EC will cancel the election of the entire constituency if intimidation and pressure is created in the national parliament election. It also issued a circular in this regard yesterday. According to the provisions of 91 of the Representation of the People Order 1972, if it appears to the Commission that it will not be able to ensure the conduct of the election in a fair and neutral manner and in accordance with the law due to various misdeeds including the use of force, intimidation and pressure. In that case, the commission can stop voting at any level in any polling center or the entire constituency as the case may be. In addition, the Commission may review any order made by any officer under this Ordinance or Rules, including the rejection or acceptance of any ballot paper. It can also give necessary instructions and other relevant orders, including the exercise of power, to ensure the conduct of the election in a neutral, fair and fair manner.
Who will monitor the election, says Foreign Ministry
Foreign Ministry spokeswoman SeheliSabrin said yesterday why countries and international organizations will monitor the national elections. According to him, India, Japan, Palestine, OIC and Arab League have confirmed that they will monitor the parliamentary elections. Three delegations from India, 16 from Japan and six from Palestine will observe the election. However, the United States has not yet confirmed that it will monitor the election. She said the EU expert mission will stay in Bangladesh till January 21. It will come from India; it will come from Palestine, OIC and Arab League. Japan has also recently expressed interest in the Election Commission.
There are other appeals. Asked which countries have confirmed the election monitoring, Sabrin said, "India, Palestine, Japan and OIC. 3 will come from India, 6 from Palestine (some of them will be from outside and some from the embassy). And in the case of Japan, that's what I've heard of 16. Besides, we do not have information about how many OIC and Arab League will come. The State Department spokesman said the United States had not confirmed monitoring the election. The applications received are being worked on. When confirmed, the Election Commission will be informed."
ARS
