EC won't look into informal allegations

The Election Commission will not investigate informal allegations of black money use in the recently held district council polls. Even Awami League lawmakers had made such allegations.

The commission thinks that the elections were held peacefully and no irregularities were reported at polling stations. And that it was not necessary to look into such informal allegations of irregularities that might have happened behind the curtains.

"We took all necessary measures so that voters could come to the polling stations and cast their votes without any hassle. We have succeeded. We need not investigate the allegations that are not provable,” said EC Secretary Muhammad Abdullah on Thursday.     

In most of the cases, the aggrieved people made the allegations through the media instead of filing formal complaints. The commission received only four to five formal complaints and instantly enquired into those, but found those to be false. So, it is not necessary to further investigate those, he told The Daily Star.

However, Shushashoner Jonno Nagorik (Shujan) President Hafiz Uddin Khan said, “The commission should not overlook those allegations. Rather, it should properly look into the allegations and take action if the allegations are found to be true.”

The first-ever district council election since independence was held on December 28 last year. The ruling Awami League mainly participated in the polls. The BNP and the main opposition Jatiya Party refrained from taking part.

Only the elected representatives of different local government bodies voted to elect a chairman, 15 general members and 5 women members in reserved seats in each district council, according to the District Council (Amendment) Act-2016.

Before and after the election, allegations were raised against many candidates of using black money and muscle power to influence voters. Even, ruling AL lawmakers and AL-backed chairman aspirants brought similar allegations against their rivals, according to media reports.

For example, AL-backed chairman candidate in Rajshahi, who was defeated by his party's rebel candidate, claimed, “I have lost to money. It is a political defeat to the influence of money.”

Ruling AL lawmaker of Rajshahi-5 constituency Abdul Wadud alleged that some grassroots leaders and activists of AL worked for the rebel candidate for money.

AL-sponsored chairman candidates Syed Ayub Ali in Narail and Shah Alam in Pirojpur also made similar allegation against some local party men.

Seeking anonymity, a voter of Natore alleged that a member candidate gave him Tk 20,000 to cast his vote in his favour.

Of the 64 districts, elections were not held in three hill districts -- Bandarban, Rangamati and Khagrachari. Besides, polls to the chairman post were not held in Kushtia and Bogra.

In the polls, AL-backed chairman candidates won in 46 districts, AL dissidents in 11, a JP leader in one and an independent candidate in the rest.