EC must reshuffle administration to make it neutral

EDITORIAL

THE Election Commission’s having no plans to reshuffle the field administration in view of the next general elections, posted for December 30, comes to be worrying. This is because the administration, both civil and police, which has until the announcement of the elections schedule been laid out by the incumbents, especially in the upper rungs, can have partisan influence in the line of the incumbents on the holding of the elections. The incumbents, like the incumbents in the past, this time to have laid out the field administration they way they wanted to get some advantage in the elections over the political parties and alliances that have so far been outside power. People in the field administration have been promoted, given incentives and transferred to their advantage. In a situation like this, only another reshuffle, effected by the Election Commission, can undo, to whatever degree possible, the existing layout of the administration to make elections as much neutral, and fair, as possible. Such a reshuffle is more important in the absence of any election-time, party-neutral government. A move of the Election Commission not to bring about any changes in the field administration is, thus, worrying.

The Election Commission on November 9, a day after it had announced the elections schedule, appointed, as what happens, deputy commissioners of the 64 districts and two divisional commissioners returning officers and all the upazila nirbahi officers assistant returning officers. The deputy commissioners, who work as district magistrates, are appointed more on partisan considerations than on merit, which makes it likely that they will be working along a partisan line during the conduction of the elections. Besides, the government, as records of the public administration ministry show, appointed deputy commissioners to 36 districts between July 31 and October 15. 

The government on November 7 also promoted 235 additional superintendents of police to the rank of the superintendent of police. And when the cabinet is, up to now, meant to work during the elections, the field administrations might well work so that the incumbents get some benefits. It is, therefore, incumbent on the Election Commission to bring about changes in the administration where it needs to undo the layout that might be tilted to favour the incumbents in a partisan manner. The commission, in fact, should bring about the changes in the field administration even if to prove its worth and dispel any confusion that people might have about the commission being partisan.

The Election Commission has, worryingly, so far displayed an attitude that appears to be partisan towards the incumbents. It has not so far taken any step against the incumbents for violating the electoral code of conduct, evidenced in holding marches during nomination paper sales, pasting bills on roadside walls and the announcement of incentives for half a million non-government teachers. Such inaction, as well as unwillingness, of the Election Commission is antithetical to ensuring a level playing field for the political parties and alliances in the electoral fray barring which they may opt out. The commission, in such a situation, must undo how the incumbents have laid out the field administration.

• Courtesy: New Age /Nov 18, 2018