Chattogram city election a model of polls irregularities: EC Mahbub
Terming the latest Chattogram City Corporation election a model of polls irregularities, Election Commissioner Mahbub Talukdar today said the authorities concerned need to find a way out to hold future elections in a more fair and credible manner.
"Chattogram City Corporation election is a model example of polls irregularities. If this model is followed in future elections in the country, we would no longer be able to keep our self-respect as a democracy in front of the global community," he said in a statement issued today.
"We aspire to move forward in a democratic path through holding all elections with due respect," he said.
Expressing his frustration at how the election was held amid allegations of irregularities, EC Mahbub said, "In this end my worries came to be true and my words of caution came to no use."
"Four deaths before and during the polls in fact mean four families have been ruined. Incidents of violence, occupying election centres, vandalising police vehicles and EVM machines, among others, have disgraced the election.
"We have to find a way to stop occurrence of such incidents and of holding fair and credible elections. This cannot be achieved without modification of the electoral process. All quarters, regardless of the differences in political opinions, have to come to a consensus to this end," he also said.
"The Chattogram city polls saw a voter turnout of only 22.5 percent. Such low voter turnout cannot be the deciding factor in a democratic process. Instead, this scenario makes it apparent that the public has no faith in the country's electoral process, which is an alarming sign for a democratic nation. If the election was held in a congenial atmosphere and in a fair and credible manner, voter turnout would definitely have been much higher," EC Mahbub also said.
"It is unacceptable that even 50 years after independence, we cannot still hold a credible election," he added.
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