Time Digital Report: Civil society group Shushashoner Jonno Nagorik (Shujan) today (October 22, 2022) said experiences of the past and Gaibandha 5 by-election shows that a free and fair national election is not possible under a political government.
"The main reason is to limit less politicisation of the administration and law enforcement agencies. In fact, recent experience shows that even the Election Commission is politicised when elections are held under a party government," Shujan Secretary Badiul Alam Majumdar said while addressing a virtual press conference on "What Message Does Halting The Gaibhandha 5, by-polls Carry".
In a move not seen in recent times, the EC stopped the Gaibandha-5 by-polls on October 12, saying the situation went "out of control" due to widespread electoral irregularities.
While monitoring CCTV footage at the EC office in the capital, officials saw the illegal presence of individuals in polling booths and voters being forced to cast their votes for a certain candidate.
The message from the Gaibandha by-election is that in order to prevent fraud in the next parliamentary elections, the commission will have to stop more elections, said Badiul.
Although the commission has the power to stop the elections, its use is not desirable to anyone as the people's aspirations are a free and fair election, he said.
"In order to avoid the possibility of postponing the national election, the EC will have to tell the government and the ruling political parties that they have to ensure the neutrality of the administration and law enforcement agencies in the next national election by changing the constitution regarding the election-time government system," said the Shujan secretary.
"Otherwise, it will not be possible for them [EC] to fulfill the constitutional mandate of conducting a free and fair election. The ruling party can easily amend the constitution by using a huge majority in parliament", Badiul added.
