EC to discuss possibility of further polls deferral: EC secy

Election Commission Secretary Helal Uddin today said that the election commission to decide on further delay in election schedule after discussion.

He made the remarks at a press conference at the commission after holding separate meetings with ruling Awami League and opposition alliance Jatiya Oikyafront, a combine of AL’s archrival BNP and several other parties, this evening.

"A lot of issues like gazette notification (of elections results), Biswa Ijtema and new books distribution at the new year are connected with the election schedule," he said.

"In spite of that, we will discuss the matter and take decision," he added.

The election date was shifted from December 23 to December 30 on Monday. But Oikyafront rejected the revised schedule, saying the polls should have been deferred by a month. 

WHAT DOES OIKYAFRONT SAY AFTER MEETING WITH EC?

After a meeting with EC, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir today said that they have requested the Election Commission to defer the election date by three weeks.

“The election commission informed us that it will consider our demand,” he told media.

Fakhrul, a top leader of the opposition alliance, also said the attitude of the Election Commission and the polls-time government will determine whether they will stay in the polls race or not.

“It will depend on the attitude of the Election Commission and the election-time government whether the opposition party will stay in the election race or not,” Fakhrul, a key leader of Jatiya Oikyafront, said after a meeting with the EC.

Kamal Hossain, the key leader of the opposition alliance, said they had detailed discussion with the Election Commission. “They (EC) responded to all of our queries and assured us of considering our demands,” Kamal, president of Gono Forum, said.

WHAT DOES AL SAY?

Awami League today requested the Election Commission not to defer the schedule for the 11th parliamentary election again. 

A delegation of the ruling party made the plea in a meeting with the commission this afternoon, hours after a team of Jatiya Oikyafront, the major opposition alliance, held meeting with the EC demanding the polls deferral by three weeks.

Talking to media after the AL’s meeting, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's Political Adviser HT Imam, who led the 10-member delegation, said, they requested the commission not to defer the polls schedule for even a single day.