CEC asks DCs-SPs not to act as party activists during polls

 Chief election commissioner (CEC) Kazi Habibul Awal has asked the deputy commissioners (DCs) and superintendents of police (SPs) to act as government officials not like party activists.

The CEC said the election commission (EC) will take a tougher stance this time around while speaking at a views exchange meeting with DCs and SPs on the zila parishad and other elections.

Public security division’s secretary Aktar Hossain and additional inspector general of police Atiqul Islam also participated in the meeting.

Briefing the reporters after the meeting, CEC Habibul Awal said, “We want to hold a free, fair and participatory election. We also gave them important instructions to work without bias toward any party. We hope the election would be participatory. The election cannot be fair if there is no competition.”

“Don’t do anything which gives people a feeling that you are biased. You must work impartially. You must understand the difference between the government and political parties as government employees. Don’t ever consider yourself as party activists,” the CEC said to have told the government officials.

Habibul Awal said the DCs and SPs have given some suggestions to the EC. They underscored the need for massive ‘voter education’ on Electronic Voting Machine. As many people have technology phobia, there should be vast awareness campaigns on the EVMs.

They also suggested the EC decrease number of voting centres and increase polling booths for the sake of convenience in the deployment of law enforcers, the CEC said adding that the EC will mull this suggestion.

CEC hoped the political parties would be able to use their discretion to minimize the differences among them regarding the general election.

As the EC cannot meddle with political affairs, it is the political parties who have to solve political differences, he added.

Replying to a question, the CEC said district and police administration try to work impartially, but it is sometimes hard to differentiate between the government and the ruling party in the parliamentary system. The EC would, however, take a tougher stance this time.

Replying to another question, Kazi Habibul Awal said other than regular forces under the public administration and the home ministries, the army might be deployed if needed.

Those who have involvement with the election would remain under the jurisdiction of the EC during the election and they will be bound to comply with any direction of the commission, the EC added.