EC slammed as it rejects most applications

NEW PARTY REGISTRATION

Politicians and civil society members on Wednesday criticised the Election Commission as it rejected almost all applications filed by political parties for registration.

Addressing a roundtable organised by Ganasanghati Andolan, a political party seeking registration, at the National Press Club, they said the EC’s decision was illogical, and by making such a decision the EC had proved that it worked as an extended part of the government.

They criticised the EC’s system of calling application once in every five years ahead of general election and holding local elections on party basis.

They urged the EC to drop the provision of seeking application for getting registered, and the parties should be allowed to apply any time they fulfil necessary conditions for registration.

Former election commissioner M Sakhawat Hossain said the EC made the registration mandatory from good intention during the army-backed caretaker government in 2007-08 but the rule was later used as a tool to control political parties. 

Rules complicated by Govt.

He said that the provisions of the Representation of People Order 1972 relating to giving political party registration was made complicated after the ruling Awami League assumed power in 2009.

Columnist Syed Abul Maksud said the EC did not give registration to some pro-people active parties, namely Ganasanghati Andolan, Nagarik Oikya and Oikya NAP, as the EC feared that the parties would push for strong democratic practices.

Oikya NAP president Pankaj Bhattacharya said the EC played games with them even in name of giving registration.

Sushasoner Jonno Nagorik secretary Badiul Alam Majumdar said the law was made to stop irregularities by the nominal parties, but now it had become a tool to control the real parties. 

Dhaka University professor Ahmed Kamal said the state was trying to gripe the citizens by the law.

He urged the political parties to start organised movement against the decisions of the authorities.

Nagarik Oikya convener Mahmudur Rahman Manna said the EC worked for giving teachings to politiclal leaders. 

Ganasanghati Andolan chief coordinator Zonayed Saki said the government did not give registration to new political parties as it tried to force them to get involved in its conspiracy. 

He also criticised the provision of cancelling registration of a party if it does not participate in two consecutive elections as every party reserves the right to take part in and to abstain from it. 

Among others Socialist Party of Bangladesh general secretary Khalequzzaman, Communist Party of Bangladesh general secretary Mohammad Shah Alam, lawyer Jyotirmoy Barua and Ganasanghati Andolan acting executive coordinator Abul Hasan Rubel also spoke at the roundtable.

Earlier this month, the EC selected only two parties the Bangladesh Congress and the Gana Azadi League  for further field-level investigation, out of 76 applications for registrations.

• Courtesy: New Age/ June 28, 2018