EC talks on JS polls to open on July 31

The Election Commission is set to open talks with political parties and the civil society on July 31 for opinions on the proposed electoral reforms for holding the next parliamentary elections.

It would inaugurate talks with the civil society members followed by the registered political parties, media personnel, observer organisations and former election commissioners to that end.

The talks are likely to end between August and October, according to an EC roadmap finalised yesterday.

“The roadmap will be formally published as a book form on July 16,” Muhammad Abdullah, secretary to the EC, told reporters at a full commission meeting with Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) KM Nurul Huda in the chair at the Nirbachan Bhaban.

He said the commission had put importance on seven-point issues in the roadmap.

The seven-point issues are ensuring a level-playing field by all political parties during polls with reformation of the Representation of People Order (RPO), holding dialogues with the political parties, demarcation of the parliamentary constituencies, preparing the voter list, establishing polling centres for next parliamentary polls, registration of new political parties, and training of EC officials.

On the use of electronic voting machine (EVM), Abdullah said the issue was not included in the roadmap.

He added the commission would also appoint two consultants for reforming the RPO and demarcation of the parliamentary constituencies.

The EC would inaugurate updating of the voter list from Mymensingh on July 25. The CEC would inaugurate the process at Sadar upazila at 11:00am, the EC secretary said.

The commission would also hold talks with the civil society representatives at 3:00pm on July 31 at the EC Secretariat.

Asked when the commission would start talks with the political parties, Abdullah said, “The date has yet to be fixed. Talks with the political parties will be held between August and October.”

Both the ruling Awami League and BNP have welcomed the EC move to start dialogues with the civil society and the political parties.

Earlier, the Huda-led commission initiated talks with different political parties with all the registered political parties responding positively. However, BNP boycotted the Kazi Rakibuddin-led commission demanding election under a non-partisan caretaker administration.

The next parliamentary polls are supposed to be held between late December 2018 and early January 2019.

Praising the EC's move to hold talks with different political parties, AL Joint General Secretary Mahbubul Alam Hanif told The Daily Star that this initiative would pave the way to hold a free and fair election.

On the other side, BNP standing committee member Moudud Ahmed said, “We will discuss the issue within our party forum and review the whole thing.”

The ALwanted to use EVM in next parliamentary elections, but BNP urged the commission not to use that.

CEC Nurul Huda had earlier said they would use EVM in next polls if all political parties reached a consensus to that end.

Contacted, Mahbubul Alam Hanif said, “The Election Commission has dropped EVM from the roadmap. It is the commission's guideline, not a decision.

“The commission will take a decision in consultation with the political parties. We will place our logics in favour of EVM. We hope all the parties will support EVM. The world is moving forward; why should we lag behind in using technology?” he added.