Amid allegations of bias, the Election Commission yesterday asked the deputy commissioners and superintendents of police to perform their election duties impartially.

It also directed them to make sure no one is harassed for their political orientation during the next Jatiya Sangsad polls.

At a meeting with the DCs and SPs at its office, the EC issued the directives regarding the upcoming zilla parishad polls, by-elections to two parliamentary seats and the next general election.

The DCs discharge election duties as returning officers and the SPs, as the district chiefs of police, maintain polls-time law and order.

The administration and law enforcement officials urged the EC not to use Electronic Voting Machines in remote areas, officials who attended the meeting told The Daily Star.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Habibul Awal said, "We want free, fair and participatory elections. We told them [DCs, SPs] they will have to work impartially during the elections.

"They must not behave in a way that would make people think they are biased and not non-partisan. As public servants, they have to understand the difference between the government and a political party."

Habibul said the DCs and SPs should never consider themselves party activists.

Warning the officials, the CEC said the EC will strictly monitor the activities of the field-level officials. "Any negligence of duty will not be tolerated."

In his written speech at the closed-door meeting, Habibul said it was unfortunate that many complaints have already been lodged about violations of the electoral code of conduct during the campaigning for the October 17 zilla parishad elections.

"We have received numerous complaints of intimidation and threats … We want to firmly say that if illegal interferences, intimidations, and bias are not resisted, the elections will become a farce."

According to EC officials, there was a ruckus at the meeting when Election Commissioner Anisur Rahman was talking about allegations that many officials act out of bias while discharging their duties, and also in many cases, they do not spend the allocated budget properly.

Expressing disappointment, the commissioner said several officials at the meeting talked about increasing their benefits, but they said nothing about allegations raised against the way electioneering for the zilla parishad polls is going on.

"There are allegations that the officials work in league with the MPs and ministers. Many, while taking part in the talks with the Election Commission, also raised the allegations of the officials' bias …. have our officials become toothless?" an EC official quoted Anisur as saying.

The commissioner alleged that magistrates do not get the budget allocated for them as fuel cost. Several DCs protested his statement, said an SP.

Anisur said he had proof of this and he won't speak if the officials didn't want him to. He then asked them if he would continue speaking. As  some officials said "no", the commissioner stopped.

After the meeting, the CEC along with three other commissioners joined a  press conference, but Anisur was not there.

This correspondent went to Anisur's office around 2:30pm for his comments but found he was away. He also didn't pick up the phone and answer text messages.

Many opposition political parties, including the BNP, allege that massive ballot-stuffing took place on the night before the election day in 2018. They also allege that police and local administration officials, who carried out election duties, were either involved in ballot-stuffing or looked the other way.

Electoral irregularities like stamping ballots the night before the polling day and ballot-stuffing by capturing booths took place in 47 out of 50 constituencies, found a TIB survey in January 2019.

Other irregularities include "silence" of the law enforcers and administrative officials; casting of fake votes; barring voters from going to polling stations; and forcing voters to cast votes for a specific symbol, the study said.

Speaking at the meeting yesterday, Election Commissioner Brig Gen Ahsan Habib Khan (retired) also stressed the need for maintaining impartiality by the DCs and SPs.

He said proceedings of the cases filed against political activists would continue. "But all concerned should show a transparent attitude towards these matters. It should also be kept in mind that panic must not be created among the candidates or their supporters," Ahsan Habib added.

According to EC officials, some DCs and SPs urged the commission not to use EVMs in remote areas. They said many voters are still wary of using EVM as they are not comfortable with using technology.

The CEC said many officials have urged them to arrange massive campaigns and voter education on the use of EVM. "We have plans to hold campaigns and educate voters on EVM."

Speaking to journalists after the meeting, Akter Hossain, senior secretary at the Public Security Division of the home ministry, said many officials suggested reducing the number of polling stations and increasing the number of booths instead so that enough law enforcers can be deployed to maintain law and order.

He said officials would remain impartial while discharging election duties.

Responding to a question, the senior secretary said the allegations of cases being filed to harass opposition activists during elections were not discussed. However, he said, there is no scope for filing such cases.

An EC official said DCs and SPs proposed that there should be coordination between them and the local election officials regarding the selection of polling centres and presiding officers. They said smooth voting cannot be ensured unless the presiding officers remain impartial.