With the Awami League men continuing to breach the polls code, an election commissioner yesterday sought the prime minister's intervention to check this.

"We want more responsible behaviours from those who are in the government. We want their cooperation ... We would like to request the head of the government to look into the matter," Election Commissioner Shah Nawaz told reporters at the EC Secretariat ahead of the December 30 municipality polls.

Such incidents of violation of the electoral code of conduct will tarnish the government's image and put the Election Commission in an embarrassing situation, he viewed.

With the voting day approaching nearer, many Awami League leaders, including ministers and lawmakers, are allegedly violating the polls code and joining electoral activities.

Besides, there have been allegations that supporters of the AL-nominated candidates brought out motorcade and processions and obstructed campaigns of the rival candidates.

The election commissioner said, "We urge them to kindly cooperate with us."

"Such activities will eventually adversely affect the government's image ... So, we would like to request you (AL men) not to create a situation that may embarrass both you and us," he added.

Shah Nawaz also warned the returning officers of actions of actions against them if the polls-code violators are spared.

"We think that returning officers are not taking adequate actions in comparison to the number of alleged violations."

CHATKHIL COMPLAINT 'FALSE'

The EC has, meanwhile, found false the allegation that a BNP-backed mayor candidate in Noakhali's Chatkhil municipality was forced by the ruling party men to withdraw his nomination paper.

Following this, the commission formed an inquiry committee which submitted its report yesterday, saying the allegation was not true, according to EC sources.

BNP Joint Secretary General Mahbub Uddin Khokon filed the complaint with the EC last week.

He wrote that supporters of the AL-backed candidate on December 13 forced the BNP's mayor contender to sign the withdrawal form at gunpoint and submitted it on their own.

MORE ALLEGATIONS, 'SCANT'

EC ACTIONS

Lawmakers Safiqul Islam Shimul (Natore-2) and MA Malek (Dhaka-20) accompanied AL-nominated mayor candidates while the latter were submitting nomination papers in their respective municipalities on December 3.

Another ruling party MP, Shawkat Hasnur Rahman (Barguna-2), took a mayor contender to Barguna from Dhaka in his car the same day.

The EC on December 6 issued show cause notices to the three and the lawmakers later apologised for their actions.

Health Minister Mohammad Nasim and AL-endorsed mayoral aspirant in Sirajganj municipality on December 16 delivered speeches at a Victory Day rally that eventually became a campaign procession, according to media reports.

Besides, MPs Atiur Rahman (Sherpur-1), Enamul Haque (Rajshahi-4) and Anwarul Abedin Khan (Mymensingh-9) sought vote for 'boat' symbols at Victory Day programmes in their respective areas that day.

In Chatmohar municipality of Pabna, AL lawmaker Mokbul Hossain (Pabna-3) at a meeting on December 14 campaigned for the party-backed mayor candidate.

In Barguna municipality, AL-blessed mayor hopeful Kamrul Ahsan brought out a procession with several hundred party men on December 15 night, halting vehicular movement.

And yesterday, AL-sponsored mayor contender Anisur Rahman in Sreepur municipality of Gazipur brought out a procession, halting public and vehicular movement. Earlier on Thursday, he brought out a procession of around 50 motorcycles, according to media reports.

The code of conduct bars MPs from joining any sort of election activities and candidates from campaigning by obstructing public movement.

In the last one and a half weeks, the EC sent directives to the ROs of around 40 municipalities to investigate the allegations of electoral code breach.

And at a meeting on Saturday, the commission expressed dissatisfaction at the ROs' role and ordered them to take actions against the perpetrators.

However, an election expert thinks that the EC has more roles to play to check such incidents.

"It will be difficult to control the situation if the commission depends solely on the returning officers. Rather, it should proactively exert its legal power to check code violations," former election commissioner M Sakhawat Hussain told The Daily Star.