EC can postpone elections sitting anywhere: CEC
Chief election commissioner (CEC) Kazi Habibul Awal has said the election commission can suspend an election from anywhere if they deem necessary.
The CEC made this comment on the suspended by-election of Gaibandha-5 constituency at a press briefing in Nirbachan Bhaban in the capital on Thursday.
The constituency of Gaibandha-5 fell vacant after the death of deputy speaker Fazle Rabbi Miah.
The EC suspended the election over widespread irregularities in the election.
Asked about Awami League general secretary Obaidul Quader’s remark that how rational it was for the EC to suspend the election by watching CCTV from Dhaka, the CEC said, “I’ve already said that Awami League general secretary could have watched with us."
"We’ve heard many people saying how it could be possible to watch so many polling centres sitting in the office. Traffic is controlled by watching CCTV footage in many countries. The system is developed in a way that facts of 200-400 places can be gleaned sitting in one place. We think it is a suitable technology," he added.
When asked that the AL general secretary did not question the technology rather he questioned about the jurisdiction to suspend the election sitting in Dhaka, the CEC replied it is not the question of where the EC is but they can stop the election under section 91 of the relevant law sitting any place.
“If we think an election is not being conducted in the right way, then the EC can stop the election in any specific polling centre or all centres,” the CEC said.
Kazi Habibul Awal said it should be clear to all that EC took the decision upon observation and thought.
The EC suspended voting in one-third of centres in the by-election held on Wednesday over allegations of widespread irregularities by afternoon.
Later at around 2:30pm, the election was completely stopped as the situation went out of control.
Earlier on the day, four candidates except for Awami League’s Mahmudul Hasan boycotted the election in the afternoon bringing allegations of widespread vote rigging by the ruling party men.