Violating electoral rules, some Awami League lawmakers have been campaigning for their preferred candidates in the zila parishad elections for the last few weeks.

Amid concern that such activities by MPs may influence the polls, the Election Commission yesterday requested the Speaker to take steps so that the MPs stay off their electoral areas today and tomorrow -- the election day -- and refrain from breaching the electoral code.

"We have made such requests to the Speaker to ensure that the lawmakers cannot influence the polls," EC Secretary Muhammad Abdullah told The Daily Star.

"We have already contacted some lawmakers and verbally requested them to stay away from their electoral areas. And we sent a letter to the Speaker today [yesterday], requesting her to keep all the lawmakers out of their constituencies," he said.

Contacted, Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury said she was yet to receive the letter. "I will look into the matter once I get it [the letter]," she told this correspondent.

Elections to 61 zila parishads will be held tomorrow. Only elected representatives of different local government bodies are eligible to vote in this election.

As no leaders or activists of the BNP and the Jatiya Party are participating in the election, only ruling party men are contesting it.

According to EC officials, 22 chairmen -- all from the ruling AL -- have been elected unopposed.

This time, the AL has to deal with more than 50 dissident candidates for chairman posts in more than 30 districts.

In a last-ditch attempt to get the dissidents' support for the party-blessed candidates, several AL central leaders visited different districts and had discussions with the dissidents and also party-backed candidates, said AL insiders.

The electoral code bars the Speaker, the opposition leader in parliament, ministers, MPs, city corporation mayors and other VIPs enjoying government facilities from joining any polls campaign or election activities.

Breaching the electoral code, some MPs are campaigning for their favourite candidates in their constituencies. But none of them has been punished though the code provides for six months' imprisonment or a fine of Tk 50,000 or both for the violators.

However, the returning officers (ROs) served show cause notices on two MPs and warned several others verbally.

But these actions appear to be an eyewash as the EC and ROs thought it would suffice to serve show cause notices or give verbal warning instead of enforcing the electoral rules, said noted election expert Tofail Ahmed.

In Chandpur, the RO on December 22 verbally warned Dipu Moni, AL lawmaker from Chandpur-3 constituency, following the allegation from a chairman candidate that the MP was influencing voters.

Talking to The Daily Star, a chairman aspirant, Nurul Amin, yesterday said he filed a complaint with the RO against Disaster Management and Relief Minister Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya, also lawmaker from Chandpur-2 constituency, that he gave money to some voters to cast ballot for his favourite candidate Osman Gani.

However, Osman, former vice president of the district AL, refuted the allegation.

Speaking at a press conference at Chandpur Press Club last night, he said the allegation is “baseless” and “irrelevant”.

The minister couldn't be reached for comments. His mobile phone was found switched off yesterday.

Abdus Sabur Mandal, the RO and deputy commissioner of Chandpur, declined to comment on the matter.

Rajiuddin Ahmed Raju, AL lawmaker from Narsingdi-5, along with many of his supporters, went to Nilakkhya area in Raipura upazila on Sunday noon to campaign for a member aspirant. A clash broke out there when supporters of a rival candidate attacked them, reported our Narsingdi correspondent quoting police and locals.

Asked, District Election Officer Sadekul Islam said they urged the MPs not to violate the electoral code.

In Pabna, three AL lawmakers campaigned for their party-backed chairman candidates around two weeks ago.

Of them, lawmakers Golam Faruk Khandaker Prince from Pabna-5 and Mokbul Hossain from Pabna-3 were served show cause notices by the RO on December 18 following complaints by a rival chairman candidate.

The two MPs didn't reply to the notices. Instead, their preferred candidate, Rezaur Rahim Lal, also senior vice president of the district AL, wrote to the RO two days later.

"I along with the MPs attended the party's different organisational meetings. The lawmakers didn't take part in election campaigns,” Rezaur said in the letter.

In Natore, Shafiqul Islam Shimul, AL lawmaker from Natore-2 constituency, repeatedly violated the electoral code but he is yet to face any action.

Shimul accompanied his party-backed chairman and member candidates when they submitted their nomination papers on December 1.

Later on December 13, the lawmaker allegedly sought votes for his preferred candidates at a meeting with elected representatives of the local government bodies and party men at Natore Circuit House.

On December 17, he again allegedly begged votes for his favourite aspirants at another meeting with his party men at Shankar Gobinda Chowdhury Stadium.

Similarly, Abdul Wadud Dara, AL lawmaker from Rajshahi-5, sought votes for the party-backed chairman candidates at a meeting at a community centre in Puthia upazila on December 17. But no action has been taken against him.

In Chittagong, City Corporation Mayor AJM Nasir Uddin accompanied an AL-supported chairman candidate when the aspirant submitted his nomination paper at the RO's office on December 1. But he is yet to face any action.

Besides, allegations of influencing voters have been made against ruling party lawmakers in Nilphamari and Sunamganj.