EC to see if partisan hoopla is illegal

The Election Commission (EC) will look into whether the ongoing flurry of activities of Awami League (AL), BNP and other political parties centring the August 4 polls to four city corporations and nine municipalities violate the new electoral law.

If their activities contradict the electoral law which clearly stipulates that polls to city corporations and municipalities are absolutely non-partisan, the commission will formally ask the political parties to abide by the law, sources in the EC said.

Election Commissioner Muhammed Sohul Hussain told The Daily Star yesterday that the EC is aware of the ongoing activities of major political parties centring the August 4 polls.

"We will discuss whether it needs to be stopped or not," he added.

Asked whether the political parties' activities violate the new electoral code of conduct, he said, "Wait, let's look into the matter in light of the law first."

But a section of the EC said on condition of anonymity that the ongoing practice of the major political parties is in 'clear violation' of the new electoral law.

According to the new electoral code of conduct promulgated by the EC, city corporation and municipality polls are completely non-partisan, and no candidate is allowed to use his or her political affiliation, the name or electoral symbol of the political party he or she affiliated with, and portrait of any political leader in an electoral campaign.

The code of conduct has been in effect automatically since the announcement of the poll schedule on June 20.

AL, BNP and some other parties initially rejected outright the official polls plan. But later, AL central working committee on Friday decided to take part in the August 4 local government polls.

BNP-Jamaat-led four-party alliance yesterday from a high level meeting demanded that the EC cancels the August 4 schedule for local government polls and prepare for the parliamentary poll first, clearly hinting at the alliance's opposition to the holding of the local government polls.

Electoral law expert Dr Shahdeen Malik said since the new electoral law is in force, collective decision of a political party to participate or not may run counter to provisions in the law.

"Secondly, if the political parties think, this is an undemocratic provision, they may challenge its validity in a court. Unless the validity is challenged, they should abide by it," Dr Malik told The Daily Star yesterday.

Talking to the media yesterday Election Commissioner Brig Gen (retd) M Sakhawat Hussain urged senior leaders of political parties not to get involved in any campaign for the local government elections.

Asked whether the EC will extend the deadline for submission of applications for candidacy past July 3, he said the commission is not thinking about it.

He however sought cooperation from all in holding the polls in a free and fair manner.