Most defeated candidates lose deposits

Most of about 1,560 defeated candidates, including form the Bangladesh Nationalist Party and its allies, in Sunday’s general election lost their deposits of Tk 2,500 for failure to receive one eighth of the valid ballots while ruling AL candidates won the polls polling 70 per cent votes.
Chief election commissioner KM Nurul Huda at a press conference at the Election Commission headquarters on Monday said that about 80 per cent of the enrolled voters cast their vote.
The elections were held in 299 of the 300 parliamentary constituencies as the election for Gaibandha 3 was rescheduled following the death of a candidate. The result of Brahmanbaria 2 was suspended flowing allegations of irregularities.
The ruling Awami League-led grand alliance secured 288 seats in the 11th parliamentary elections while the opposition BNP and allies got only seven seats.
The rest three seats were won by independent candidates, including two AL rebels.
Article 41 of the Representation of the People Order 1972 stipulates that the deposit of the candidates who would fail to get one eighth of the votes polled would be ‘forfeited to the government.’
Most of the defeated candidates failed to receive one eighth of the polled votes in the respective constituency, according to the unofficial election results announced by the returning officers.
The BNP leaders who lost deposits included BNP standing committee member Moudud Ahmed (23,257 votes) was defeated by AL general secretary Obaidul Quader (3,96,022) in Noakhali 5 and Joynal Abedin (5,784) was defeated by AL candidate Nizam Uddin Hazari (2,90,668) in Feni 2.
BNP’s FI Sharfuzzaman polled 57 votes against Muhammad Faruk Khan, who got 3,03,162 votes in Gopalgonj 1 and SM Jilani got 123 votes AL president Sheikh Hasina, who polled 2,29,539 votes in Gopalgonj 3.
BNP leaders Amir Khsru Mahmud Chowdhury, Mirza Abbas, Zahir Uddin Sawpon, Shama Obaid, Abul Khair Bhuiyan and Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Annie also lost deposits. 
Commission officials said that in most of wining AL candidates polled more than 70 per cent votes. 
At the press conference a day after the elections, censured by different quarters on allegations of wide-spread vote rigging, intimidation, ouster of opposition polling agents and massive stuffing of ballot boxes, the chief election commissioner said that nothing happened in elections to be ashamed of.
The commission is happy with the general election as it was held in free and fair manner except some sporadic incidents, he claimed.
Dismissing main opposition alliance Jatiya Oikya Front’s demand of re-election, Nurul Huda said that there was no need of a re-election as no complaint was filed with the commission over irregularities. 
He said that some 80 per cent voters exercised their voting rights in the elections.
He regretted as 14 people lost their lives in the electoral violence on the polling day.
‘The election was held amid enthusiasm and in a peaceful atmosphere. All enjoyed the election festival. Actually the nation celebrated the vote festival on December 30,’ claimed Nurul Huda.
He also said that he and four other commissioners were satisfied with the polls.
The chief election commissioner said that the general election was credible according to the reports from media and local and foreign observers.
According to the unofficial polls results, the Awami League won 158 seats as the party contested in 160 seats while its main ally Jatiya Party won 20 seats. The Jatiya Party contested in 175 seats, including 26 sheared by the Awami League.
AL ally Workers Party of Bangladesh won three seats contesting in eight, including three shared by the Awami League. Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal won two seats contesting in 11, including 3 shared by the Awami League. The Bangladesh Tarikat Federation won one seat contesting in 16 seats and the Jatiya Party-JP won one seat contesting in 11. The Awami League shared one seat each with the last two parties.
BNP won five of the 257 seats contested by the party. Its ally Gono Forum secured two seats contesting in 28 seats, including 7 shared by BNP.
About the loss of deposit, former caretaker government M Hafizuddin Khan told New Age on Monday that he was surprised at the vote margins.
It is embarrassing for election culture when a ‘heavyweight’ candidate lose deposit.
Asked about the unusual vote margin between winning and defeated candidates, commission secretary said that they were yet to calculate the number and the commission had nothing to do.
All 39 registered political parties participated in the polls with 1,733 candidates while 128 independent candidates also contested the polls.
Candidates of nine of the 39 parties won the elections.

News Courtesy: www.newagebd.net