EC wants returning officers to act

The Election Commission wants the returning officers to take actions against violations of electoral code of conduct by potential mayor or councillor aspirants of Dhaka rather than taking the issue upon itself.

But the returning officer of Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) has taken no action against the aspirants who have jumped the gun on campaigning.

Shah Alam, the RO of the elections to DNCC, said, "We have not found any electoral campaign materials like billboards, banners and posters on display."

However, a visit by The Daily Star found several hundred electoral posters of dozens of councillor aspirants on walls at places in Dhaka north, including Kazipara, Sheorapara and East-Rajabazar yesterday.

In Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC), RO Mihir Sarwar Morshed has so far issued notices on seven councillor aspirants, asking them to explain as to why they have not removed their posters, and directed them to do so immediately.

Election Commissioner Shah Nawaz told The Daily Star, "As we have appointed returning officers, they will take necessary actions to this matter. If they face difficulty, they will inform us. Then we will take steps accordingly."

However, former election commissioner M Sakhawat Hussain said it was not enough to devolve the entire responsibility on the returning officer. In city corporation elections, the candidates are very powerful. So, returning officers in many cases cannot go against the powerful people, he said.

"That is why, the Election Commission should play a proactive role to back the returning officers for taking actions against flouting electoral laws," he viewed.

The EC's Secretary Sirazul Islam said, "One major problem is that we cannot locate the aspiring candidates because they are not using their addresses in posters. We will catch them when they file applications seeking candidacy."

He said the EC would deploy executive magistrates within one or two days to take action against violations of electoral laws.

As per electoral code of conduct, no candidate is allowed to conduct electoral campaign before 21 days from the election day. Additionally, use of billboards for electoral campaign is prohibited.

The EC on March 19 issued directives to the ROs to take necessary measures to remove such billboards, posters and leaflets by Saturday morning. But hundreds of electoral posters still remain.

Any candidate or his/her supporter may be awarded six months' imprisonment or fined Tk 50,000 or an aspirant's candidacy could be cancelled for violation of electoral code of conduct.

Elections to the bifurcated Dhaka city and Chittagong will be held on April 28. Over 60 lakh voters are entitled to elect 3 mayors and 179 councillors.

A total of 15 mayoral and 526 councillor aspirants collected nomination forms as of yesterday.