EC rules out further dialogue with parties before next polls
Staff Reporter
The Election Commission (EC) yesterday said it has no plan to hold any further dialogue with the registered political parties ahead of the next parliamentary polls. There is no possibility of holding any further dialogue with the political parties ahead of the next national elections. The EC has already completed 80 per cent of the work for holding the next parliamentary polls, EC secretary Helal Uddin Ahmed told reporters at the Election Bhaban in the capital.
As part of the EC roadmap, the commission held dialogues with various stakeholders, including the registered political parties, in August 2017. The issue of holding another round of talks with the parties has been raised several times at different forums.
Earlier, the EC had said that it could hold further dialogues, if necessary. But the EC secretary yesterday rejected the possibility of another round of dialogue.
The political parties will now have to prepare to contest the 11th parliamentary polls.
The election schedule is likely to be announced at the end of October or beginning of November this year. The schedule of the general election is likely to be announced at the end of October or the beginning of November. The polls will be held at the end of December or beginning of January next year, said Helal Uddin, after holding a meeting with chief election commissioner KM Nurul Huda.
In reply to a query, Helal Uddin said: Eighty per cent preparation for holding the general election has been completed so far. He also said the EC would hold another meeting before
the national elections to assess the level of preparation and what further steps have to be taken before the polls. The meeting would help prepare a checklist to guide the next elections, he added.
Well verify whether the voters list of 300 constituencies is ready, the condition of the voting centres, the purchase of paper for ballots and the training of polling officers and presiding officers. Well find out the preparation of law enforcers and hold discussions with deputy commissioners, superintendents of police, and upazila nirbahi officers, he said.
Helal Uddin said the EC has already completed the voters lists. Weve already enlisted 42,000 voting centres for the elections. Another 5,000 centres may be added. A draft list has been sent to the district and upazila levels. The stakeholders concerned may raise objections regarding the voting centres, if any. Itll be settled by holding a hearing. Finally, a gazette will be issued on the final voting centres, he added.
About buying various election materials, Helal Uddin said: Weve already called a tender in this regard. The work order has been given. Election materials soon will be handed over to us very soon.
The EC secretary also said that a conference of the Forum of Election Management Bodies of South Asia (FEMBoSA) will be held in Dhaka on September 5 and 6. Representatives of the South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation (SAARC) countries will join this event.
The body will discuss various issues relating to the elections and the processes followed in the eight SAARC countries and share their respective experiences, he added.
As a host country, were giving the utmost importance to the FEMBoSA conference. We can accept the experiences of the SAARC countries, he said.
