EC lags behind own roadmap

The election commission has deviated from the roadmap it announced in order to hold the 11th parliamentary polls in a successful manner.

The commission had begun working on three major tasks but failed to complete them within its own deadline of December 2017, a review of its pledges suggests.

The commission, led by chief election commissioner KM Nurul Huda, announced the roadmap on 16 July.

It fixed a target of implementing seven tasks to hold the national elections before 28 January 2019, the date of expiry of the current Jatiya Sangsad (national assembly).

The commission held dialogue with staholders and took their recommendations for simplifying and updating the election process but it could not publish the recommendations by December despite pledges to do so.

The commission was to redemarcate 300 parliamentary constituencies by the yearend but it could not act as it failed to reform electoral law.

It was supposed to complete the review of the commission's legal framework by December.

Other targets are making a flawless voters' list, setting up polling stations, registration of new political parties and auditing of registered parties and empowering through training all involved in the election process.

Former election commissioner Sohul Hossain told Prothom Alo, "The reform of law and demarcation of constituencies are very important tasks ahead of the elections. These tasks should have been completed much earlier."

Of the rest, the voters' list is due to be completed by 31 January, according to official announcement. Setting up of polling stations is supposed to be begin in coming June.

Registration of political parties is going on and training of those engaged in electoral process is also progressing gradually, commission officials said.

Speaking to Prothom Alo, secretary in charge of EC secretariat Helal Uddin Ahmed said the commission has been working as per the roadmap. "Recommendations derived from consultations with the stakeholders have been finalised. The tasks of reform of law and redemarcation of constituencies would be completed as well," he said adding that other tasks would be completed in time.

In its roadmap, the commission made a special focus on redemarcation of parliamentary constituencies, in view of number of voters and size of the areas, ahead of the next elections.

According to the EC secretariat, a primary draft of fresh law was prepared in July but it is not finalised yet. The commission, however, has begum redemarcating the constituencies as per existing law.

The commission was supposed to publish the gazette notification after making the redemarcation of all 300 constituencies by December 2017.

An EC official said the task of redemarcation is still at an initial stage.

Different political parties made a number of proposals for reforming various sections of Representation of People Order (RPO), a key law on elections.

The commission is reviewing 31 sections of the order but could not yet prepare the draft for its amendment.

Commission officials now say the final draft of the amended RPO will be made ready by this week.

Emphasising the importance of timely completion of tasks, former commissioner Sohul Hossain said in case of failure, the commission should explain it publicly, as the people observe performance and role of the commission.

Shujan (Shushaner Jonno Nagorik or Citizens for Good Governance) secretary Badiul Alam Majumdar said although the chief election commissioner recently claimed the commission is ready to hold early elections, it is lagging behind in terms of its overall preparations. "The slow progress in implementing roadmap shows it," he added.

*This report, originally published in Prothom Alo print edition, has been rewritten in English by Rabiul Islam.