Gaibandha by-polls: Right decision of election commission
The ruling party took part in the by-election to the Gaibandha-5 constituency, dead certain of their victory. After all, this happened every time in the recent past; the fate of election would be decided as the ruling party wanted, but this time the election commission led by Kazi Habibul Awal did not let it happen.
The by-election was somewhat dull since main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) boycotted it. Political observers thought the candidate of Awami League will also win this by-poll easily because no other candidate would challenge him. There were four other candidates contesting the election -- one candidate each from Jatiya Party and Bikalpa Dhara Bangladesh and two independent candidates.
Reports of irregularities at various centres started coming in after voting began at 8:00am on Wednesday. Leaders and activists of the ruling party had been continuously violating rules and regulations of a fair election. They entered into secret ballot rooms and pressed the buttons of the electronic voting machine (EVM) in addition to ousting the agents of other candidates from polling centres. There were CCTV cameras at every centre and chief election commissioner (CEC), other election commissioners and senior officials of election commissioner watched these irregularities on a big screen at the election commission office. Voting was suspended at the centres where irregularities were found through CCTV monitoring. All but Awami League candidate announced a boycott of the polls at around 12:00pm. Meantime, voting was postponed at 51 centres. And, the election commission announced around 2:30pm it has postponed the by-election to Gaibandha-5 constituency.
Though many parties welcomed the announcement, Awami League criticised it. They raised questions on the rationality of the election commission’s decision taken from some 500 kilometres away (the actual distance is 275 kilometres). CEC KAzi Habibul Awal also replied to this. Previously, voting was never postponed in such manner in an entire constituency because of irregularities. For that, the election commission deserves credit. However, there is no scope to think that voting postponement in a by-election will fix the electoral system. Though the election commission took a brave decision in this by-election, the role of local administrations, which were tasked with holding the polls, was biased.
Suppose, we have 100 per cent confidence in the election commission in holding a fair election. Yet, questions will arise on whether they will able to take such strong decision during the national election. Will it be possible to monitor at 300 constituencies closely as much as they did at a constituency. This by-election also reveals another truth and that is the local administration was not sincere about a fair election at all.
The election commission formed a probe committee over the incidents taken place during Gaibandha by-polls. We expect the probe committee will find the people involved in irregularities in ballot casting. Vote robbers will not be refrained by giving good advices and for that, punishment to them must be ensured. We expect the commission will receive cooperation from the government.
The election commission gave a strong signal to the ruling commission. Now the government and ruling party should not try to win the polls forcefully rather they should assist election commission in recovering the near collapsed electoral system.