AL candidate Azmat violates election code of conduct while submitting nomination paper

The election commission (EC) on Wednesday directed the candidates not to bring five people along with them or put on a show while submitting nomination papers in the upcoming Gazipur City Corporation election. But the mayoral candidate of ruling Awami League, Azmat Ullah, in the GCC polls violated the directives while submitting his nomination paper on the very next day, Thursday.

At least 10 leaders and activists accompanied the ruling party’s candidate from the main entrance to the office of the returning officer. At the same time, many leaders and activists were rallying on the road.

The election to Gazipur City Corporation is scheduled to be held on 25 May. Today, Thursday, was the last day of submitting the nomination papers.

The nomination papers will be sorted on 30 April. Candidate wishing to withdraw candidature must do so by 8 May. The electoral symbols will be distributed on 9 May, according to the EC polls schedule.

A total of 13 mayoral candidates collected nomination papers as of Thursday morning, said the office of the returning officer. Among them, seven candidates including Azmat Ullah submitted the nomination papers.

The office of the returning officer has been set up at Bangataj Auditorium of the Gazipur City Corporation. The Prothom Alo correspondent found a gathering of leaders and activists on the nearby Rathkhola Road centring Azmat Ullah’s submission of nomination paper from at around 11:30 am. Azmat Ullah reached the main entrance at 11:30 am. Several hundred people were seen with him that time.

Seeing so many people with Azmat Ullah, the security guards closed the main entrance of the office. Then the ruling party’s candidate entered the office of the returning officer with more than five leaders and activists.

Responding to a question on the violation of election code of conduct, Azmat Ullah told the newspersons, “I have submitted the nomination paper maintaining the polls code of conduct. There were not more than five people with me. Today is the last day of submission of nomination paper. That’s why the councillor candidates and their supporters also have come. No one rallied on my behalf.”

The election commission published a media release on Wednesday regarding the code of conduct during the submission of nomination paper. It asked the candidates not to keep five people along with them or put on a show while submitting nomination papers.

The media release also said it would take stern action if any candidate or any person or any organisation or institution on his behalf, and any political party violates the code of conduct during the submission of nomination paper.

Returning officer Faridul Islam said they have been observing strictly whether the code of conduct is being maintained. Not more than five people are being allowed in any way to enter my office along with the candidate. Already two mayoral and a councillor candidates have been served with show-cause notices for violating the code of conduct. Action would be taken against everyone by turn for violating the code of conduct, he added.