According to a report published in Prothom Alo, the Election Commission (EC) intends to maintain a two-month period between the announcement of the election schedule and the polling day. This decision by the EC is expected to generate numerous questions and discussions.
The EC had previously confirmed that the elections would take place in the first week of January next year, with the schedule set to be announced in November.
The Jatiya Sangsad (national parliament) is constitutionally mandated to hold the next parliamentary election within 90 days prior to the completion of its five-year term.
The current parliament's term is set to conclude on 29 January of the upcoming year. Consequently, the preceding 90 days imply that the twelfth parliamentary election should be conducted between 1 November and 29 January.
In the past, the election schedule has typically been announced around 40 to 45 days before the actual election date. For instance, the election schedule for the 11th National Assembly was announced on 8 November 2018, and the polling date was set for 23 December, resulting in a 45-day gap. However, due to demands from opposition political parties, the polling date was postponed by a week to 30 December.
Similarly, for the tenth parliamentary elections, the schedule was announced on 25 November 2013, and the vote took place on 5 January 2014, constituting a 40-day gap between the announcement of the schedule and the voting date. As most of the registered parties did not participate in that election, there was no question of postponing the polling date based on their demands.
What has prompted the election commission to announce the schedule two months in advance this time? It is argued that allowing sufficient time for the disposal of appeals in case of candidate nomination rejections is a key consideration. The EC is emphasising a longer lead time for schedule announcement, while opposition political parties aim to conclude their one-point demand protest before the schedule is unveiled.
However, announcing the schedule earlier may create a perception in the public mind that the EC is operating in line with the government's directives. Even with an early schedule announcement, there remains the possibility of altering the election date in the interest of political compromise.
The EC needs to provide a clear explanation for the extended time before announcing the schedule. If the EC intends to conduct a one-sided election akin to 2014, they could announce the schedule at any point and proceed with voting just to comply with the formalities. However, if the EC aims for a fair, competitive, and inclusive election, it must establish an environment conducive to the participation of all political parties.
On the other hand, an extended gap between schedule announcement and polling date could pose challenges for the EC in overseeing the police and administration at the field level and ensuring candidates adhere to the code of conduct.
The EC should bear in mind that an election constitutes an open competition to choose the representatives of the people. In this context, avoiding responsibility is not an option, especially considering that the participation of political parties is a political matter.
Historically, despite the schedule being announced, the dates for the submission of nomination papers, their selection, the final list, and the polling have been subject to change. Even with a 40 to 45-day gap between the schedule announcement and the polling date, there remains room for dispute resolution and potential alterations to the polling date.
Given this scenario, it's crucial for the Election Commission to avoid actions that may give the impression to the public that they are aligning with the government's wishes.
Whether the election will truly be inclusive or not hinges on the responsibility of the political leadership, but it is the EC that is responsible to maintain a level playing field. Consequently, the EC must make decisions carefully.