Chief Election Commissioner KM Nurul Huda has finally moved to end his “go alone” policy that used to leave the four other election commissioners in the dark while running the EC.

The move came on October 2 when the Election Commission Secretariat in an office order said there were deviations from rules and regulations in running the activities of the EC secretariat and the four commissioners noticed that. The EC directed the authorities to run the secretariat's activities in line with the rules and regulations, the order added.

Before the issuance of the order, the CEC on the same day had invited the commissioners to tea at his office room. 

Sources at the EC have confirmed The Daily Star the issuance of the order.

Distance had been growing between Huda and other commissioners over the former's “unilateral decisions” on different important activities.

The rift came into the open after the four election commissioners last month had sent “unofficial notes” to the EC secretariat expressing their disappointment at its functions.

The four election commissioners are Rafiqul Islam, Mahbub Talukder, Kabita Khanam and Sahadat Hossain Chowdhury.

EC sources said distance between the CEC and the commissioners widened over holding of the 9th meeting of the Forum of the Election Management Bodies of South Asia in Dhaka on September 5 as the election commissioners' opinion about the event was not sought.

None of the four election commissioners took part in a training workshop of EC officials in the capital's Nirbachon Bhaban on September 22 as they were “not informed” about the programme. The CEC was present at the event.

Besides, opinions of the four election commissioners regarding the important workshop ahead of the upcoming general election were not taken. The next parliamentary polls are likely to be held in late December.  

Some election commissioners alleged that the CEC and the EC secretary took some important decisions and carried out some activities avoiding them.

The commissioners also sent “unofficial notes” to the EC secretariat pointing that some EC rules were being violated in running the EC's activities.

“All decisions of the Election Commission should be taken on the basis of majority opinion. In many cases this rule was not followed,” an official of the EC secretariat quoted an “unofficial note” as saying.

In the “unofficial notes”, the commissioners said as per rules, they were supposed to know about all the EC decisions. But the commission took several decisions after receiving the CEC's approval and they were not aware of those.

The election commissioners also asked EC Secretary Helaluddin Ahmed to produce all important files of the commission before them. They also wanted to know about the EC's election preparations, different activities of its secretariat and its various projects, sources said. 

Talking to The Daily Star on condition of anonymity, an election commissioner yesterday said he didn't know anything about the EC's proposal to buy electronic voting machines (EVMs) worth Tk 3,800 crore. 

Another commissioner said he was in the dark about the field level visits of election officials ahead of the upcoming national election and several other election-related issues. 

“Journalists often question us about different activities of the election preparation, EVM project and visits of election commissioners. But I cannot answer them [journalists] as I am in dark about those issues.”

He said he asked the EC secretariat to inform him about the commission's functions.

The present election commissioners, led by the CEC, had taken office in February last year.

Sources at the EC said Election Commissioner Mahbub Talukder in July last year first sent an “unofficial note” regarding a reshuffle in the EC secretariat.

On August 30 this year, he wrote a note of dissent on the EC's proposal to seek amendment to the Representation of the People Order for using EVMs in parliamentary polls.

BNP today in a letter urged Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) KM Nurul Huda seeking his interference to stop filing of “false cases” and arrest of the party’s leaders and activists by law enforcers.

“We expect your (CEC) interference to stop filing of false and fictitious cases and the arrest of our party men by law enforcers,” read the letter signed by BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.

M Salahuddin Khan, an official of BNP’s Naya Paltan office, handed over the letter to the concerned official of the CEC’s office this morning, reports our staff correspondent from the spot. 

In the letter, the BNP also sought the interference of the EC to take necessary steps for unconditional release of all arrested leaders and activists of the opposition alliance including BNP and withdrawal of all false cases against them.

The party also sent a list of 472 arrested BNP men and eight cases to the EC. All the cases were filed and the 472 BNP men were arrested after the EC announced the schedule of the 11th parliamentary election on November 8, according to the BNP.

On Wednesday, Jatiya Oikyafront, a new opposition alliance comprising BNP and several other parties, placed several demands at a meeting with the commission at the EC Secretariat in the capital.

During the meeting, the Oikyafront leaders also informed the EC about the reshuffle in the public administration and “fictitious cases” against leaders and activists of the alliance.

Later, the EC sought a list of arrested leaders and activists of the alliance, who were arrested after the schedule of the national election was announced.

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmed today said the law enforcement agencies will remain alert to avoid any violence during the third phase of Union Parishad (UP) elections, scheduled to be held on April 23.

“The Election Commission (EC) discussed steps needed to be taken in case there is any violence centring the third phase of union parishad elections,” the CEC told reporters after a meeting with top officials of different law enforcement agencies.

The meeting was convened to hold the third phase UP elections in a free, fair and peaceful manner, the CEC added.

The three-hour meeting began at 11:30am. The chiefs of police, Rapid Action Battalion, Bangladesh Coast Guard and Border Guard Bangladesh took part in the meeting held at the EC’s conference room.

The meeting was held in the background of violence during the two phases of UP polls that left 33 people killed and over one thousand injured.

The BNP has claimed that its allegation of “vote robbery” in the December 30 national election has now been proved to be true with the CEC's comment that the use of EVMs can prevent stuffing of ballot boxes the night before an election.

“The chief election commissioner has said the risk of stuffing ballot boxes the night before the voting will be reduced if EVMs are introduced. The truth about the election has started to emerge,” BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi said yesterday.

Speaking at a press conference at the BNP's Nayapaltan central office, he said Chief Election Commissioner KM Nurul Huda could not hide the truth for long. “The CEC's slip of tongue has revealed the truth regarding the midnight election. His remark has demonstrated that the election was held at midnight as EVMs were not used.”

Addressing a training workshop of election officials at the city's Nirbachan Bhaban on Friday, the CEC had said the Election Commission was planning to use electronic voting machines to make sure that ballot boxes could not be stuffed on the night before an election.

Since the national election, the BNP and Jatiya Oikyafront have been accusing the Awami League of carrying out “vote robbery” by stuffing ballot boxes on December 29 midnight.

Stating that snatching people's voting rights was tantamount to robbery, Rizvi said the CEC “committed a serious offence by holding a midnight election only to keep the current government in power illegally”.

“Your [CEC] remarks will remain as an important document to people about how a chief election commissioner allowed stuffing ballot boxes at midnight in a national election, depriving people of their voting rights.”

The BNP leader questioned whether the CEC allowed the ruling party to stuff ballot boxes on the night of December 29 to justify the use of EVMs that were procured by spending crores of public money.

Rizvi warned the CEC that he would have to be accountable to people some day for the midnight voting.

He said the CEC was trying to use EVMs in the election as spending crores of taka was involved in it. “No machine is required for ensuring a fair election, as only sincerity and commitment to democracy is enough for it.”

Not only the CEC, but also an election commissioner carelessly talked about the midnight voting as the truth cannot be hidden, the BNP leader added.

Rizvi voiced deep concern as ailing BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia was yet to be taken to hospital for treatment.

He demanded the government shift her to United Hospital for ensuring her proper treatment.