EC asks magistrates to act neutrally during polls

Election commissioners today asked the executive magistrates to act without any bias while discharging their duties during the upcoming parliamentary elections.

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) KM Nurul Huda and the four election commissioners were briefing the executive magistrates of Sylhet, Barishal and Chattogram about electoral code of conduct at the EC Office in the morning.

The election commissioners are Brig Gen (retd) Shahadat Hossain Chowdhury, Rafiqul Islam, Mahbub Talukdar and Kabita Khanam.

"You must protect the presiding officers instead of commanding them as they will not be working under you. Cooperation between the executive magistrates and the presiding officers is needed for holding a fair election," the CEC told to the executive magistrates.

Election Commissioner Brig Gen (retd) Shahadat Hossain Chowdhury said, "Law enforcers will work under your supervision and they will fire only if you command. Therefore, apply your judicial mind during polls."

“All the candidates should get equal treatment and you need to ensure that they follow the electoral code of conduct,” he added.

Echoing the CEC and Shahdat Hossain, Election Commissioner Mahbub Talukdar said that if laws are not applied neutrally those becomes “black laws”, which will foil the elections. “So, everyone needs to be careful."