What is the rationale for the 7-day deferral?

EDITORIAL

EC should consider the political consensus

We are quite puzzled by the Election Commission's decision to defer the general election by a week. The election is now set to take place on December 30 instead of December 23 as initially announced. The new decision comes on the heels of opposition parties' demand that the election be deferred by a month. The ruling party expressed its "no objection" to the opposition demand. We cannot help but wonder what difference a week would make in conducting all the necessary pre-poll activities and preparatory work. When there is consensus among all parties, we believe the schedule could have been shifted back to a reasonable date.

We are all happy that the nation is gearing toward a participatory national election. The EC should do everything possible to further this process. Giving political parties sufficient time is a crucial part of ensuring universal participation, especially when the EC has enough time at its disposal. The EC hurriedly announced the polls schedule earlier which is a record in itself. It only took seven days to announce the schedule after the 90-day countdown began on October 31 whereas in the past, the ECs had taken, on average, a month after the 90-day countdown began to announce the schedule. The EC has until January 28, 2019 to hold the polls which leaves ample time for the election to be deferred by more than a week—as the EC has done—at least to mid-January.

The EC has a responsibility to fulfil its constitutional obligations by ensuring that the 11th Parliamentary Election is free, fair and participatory. That should be the EC's fundamental objective, and not conducting the election with haste. We urge the EC to reconsider its decision keeping in mind its own promises, the facts on the ground, the demands of the opposition, and most importantly, its constitutional obligations. 

• Courtesy: The Daily Star / Nov 13, 2018