Efforts for fair polls won't fall short: CEC

Chief election commissioner (CEC) Kazi Habibul Awal has expressed a resounding commitment to hold a fair election, saying that his commission's efforts to ensure a free, fair, peaceful, inclusive, and festive election will not fall short.

He came up with the statement while speaking at a meeting with the field level officials of the election commission (EC) at the Nirbachan Bhaban in Dhaka on Saturday.

CEC Kazi Habibul Awal said, “We have to depend on government cooperation. We will discuss how it would be easier to ensure a strong coordination with the public administration, police, and law enforcement agencies; how a result will come through a free exercise of the people’s franchise.”

In a post-meeting briefing, Ashok Kumar Devnath, additional secretary of EC, said the commission exchanged views with officials of its 64 district and 10 regional offices regarding the upcoming parliamentary polls.

He also said it was a primary meeting where the commission sought to know about some issues and provided instructions accordingly to the field level officials. The key topics were the voter list and arrangements of the polling stations.

In particular, the commission asked the officials if they are facing any specific problems while carrying out their official duties, the additional secretary said, adding they laid emphasis on coordination with the local administration and the police to overcome the prevailing issues.

He further said the field level officials, however, did not raise any specific political setbacks as well as any shortfall in efforts. They sought cooperation from all to enforce the electoral code of conduct.