The chief election commissioner (CEC) Kazi Habibul Awal on Wednesday said he will not accept the claim that the EC has no control over voting, expressing his satisfaction for the assistance of local administration and the law enforcement agencies in holding elections.
The CEC came up with this remark while responding to the newsmen's queries at Nirbachan Bhaban in Dhaka after the by-elections to six constituencies.
Kazi Habibul said the polls to six seats were held peacefully. No information of significant irregularities in the voting was received. The voter turnout, however, was low. The EC is anticipating that only 15 per cent to 25 per cent voters exercised their franchise. It will be clarified after counting the votes.
The CEC claimed they collected information from the field all the time and kept their eye on the television and online media. The incidents of chase and counter chase took place in some areas with the explosion of several cocktails.
When asked about the ‘dacoits’ of secret rooms at polling centres in Brahmanbaria-2, they gleaned information over the issue upon receiving the news. "It could happen. We are not considering this as massive irregularity."