11TH PARLIAMENTARY POLLS EC to hold talks with parties
The Election Commission would hold talks with political parties and the other stakeholders from July 2017 to February 2018 on the next general elections.
Chief election commissioner KM Nurul Huda announced the action plan of the commission at a press conference after the commission made a draft ‘road map’ for the next general elections.
He also said that the commission would finalise the seven-point ‘road map’ in 15 days.
He said that that commission would hold the talks with the political parties to ensure the holding of elections free from money and muscle and create a level playing field for all parties.
The commission would discuss with the parties how to reform the electoral process, he said.
He said that the commission would work to modernise and ease the election system.
He said that the commission would also discuss the issues with civil society representatives, journalists and
its former officials and commissioners.
The chief election commissioner said that the commission would complete the delimitations of the 300 parliamentary constituencies between August 2017 and April 2018.
The commission would update the electoral roll between September 2017 and June 2018 and select the polling stations in June 2018 to August 2018, he said.
He also said that the commission would scrutinise the status of the registered political parties and give registration for new parties from October 2017 to March 2018.
The commission would arrange trainings for election officials and hold meetings with the law enforcement agencies from July 2018, Nurul Huda said.
He said that the commission prepared the draft ‘road map’ for holding the 11th parliamentary elections between October 30, 2018 and January 28, 2019.
Replying to a question, he, whoever, said that the commission also had enough preparation to hold early election if the president asked it following the prime minister’s request.
The election to the 10th parliament, held on January 5, 2014, drew widespread criticism as all opposition political parties boycotted the polls and candidates in 153 of the 300 parliamentary constituencies were elected uncontested.
The chief election commissioner also said that the commission would arrange presentation on the technical sides of the use of electronic voting machine in the next polls and would not use the EVM in the poll if the political parties were opposed to it.
‘There are no controversy and no scope of confusion over the use of EVM in the next polls as the commission will not use it if the parties do not agree,’ he added.
Election commissioners Rafiqul Islam and Kabita Khanam were present at the press conference.
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