President’s talks on formation of ELECTION COMMISSON

AL likely to propose law enactment

In an apparent shift to its earlier stance, the ruling Awami League is now likely to propose the enactment of a law for appointing the chief election commissioner and other commissioners, in line with the Constitution, during talks with the President. A preliminary decision over the matter was taken by the AL-body formed to make recommendations on forming the EC during its yesterday’s meeting that began at Prime Minister and AL President Sheikh Hasina’s Dhanmondi political office in the capital at 5:00pm and lasted one and a half hour.
After the meeting, AL Law Affairs Secretary Abdul Matin Khasru told this correspondent: “We have taken an unanimous decision to draft a proposal for enacting a law to constitute the EC. We will place the draft before our party president, Sheikh Hasina, for her approval and then it will be placed before the President during the talks. We will recommend to the President that a law be enacted, as per Article 118 of the Constitution, for appointing the chief election commissioner and other commissioners.” Ruling party leader had earlier dismissed the possibility of enacting a law over the formation of the EC anytime soon. The party will sit for talks with President Abdul Hamid on January 11 over formation of the new Election Commission, as the tenure of the present EC ends in February. The President initiated the process of talks with political parties by inviting the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) for dialogue on December 18.        
On Wednesday, the AL formed a 10-member committee, headed by HT Imam, the Prime Minister’s political adviser, for preparing a draft of proposals and recommendations on forming the EC, which the party will submit to the President.
At the AL's central working committee (ALCWC) meeting, held at the party president Sheikh Hasina’s official residence on Wednesday, the party selected the body, including its advisers. They members are HT Imam, Abdul Matin Khashru, Shafique Ahmed, Abdul Baset Majumder, Mohammad Zamir, Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir, Rashedul Alam, Dipu Moni, Abdur Razzak,  Abdul Mannan Khan and Abdul Matin Khasru.
According to Article 118(1) of the Constitution, there shall be an EC for Bangladesh, comprising the CEC and not more than four commissioners, and the appointment of the CEC and other commissioners (if any) shall, subject to the provisions of any law made in that behalf, be made by the President. Notwithstanding a constitutional obligation, a law to appint the CEC and other commissioners has not been framed in the last 45 years.
Earlier, at a press conference at the party’s Dhanmondi office, AL joint general secretary Mahbubul Alam Hanif had said the government started working on drafting a law for appointing the election commissioners as enshrined in the Constitution.
“The work of drafting the law will be completed shortly and then it will be placed in Parliament. None of the past governments took the initiative to enact a law for appointing the election commissioners. The Sheikh Hasina-led government has taken the initiative,” he had added. He said this to reporters after a BNP delegation, led by its chairperson Khaleda Zia, held talks with the President at Bangabhaban on forming the EC.
AL General Secretary, Obaidul Quader, also told this correspondent recently that the present government has a plan to formulate a law for appointing elections commissioners.
When contacted, law minister Anisul Huq said yesterday that the government would formulate a law for constituting the new EC, if the President gives an order in this regard. “As the President is discussing the issue with political parties, I cannot say anything more on the issue,” he added.
Most of the political parties, barring the BNP, have recommended to the President that a law be enacted for forming the new EC to oversee the 2019 general election.  The present EC was formed in 2012 through a search committee. Most of the political parties had recommended formation of the search committee during talks with the then president Zillur Rahman.

Presidents talks on formation of ELECTION COMMISSON

AL likely to propose law enactment

In an apparent shift to its earlier stance, the ruling Awami League is now likely to propose the enactment of a law for appointing the chief election commissioner and other commissioners, in line with the Constitution, during talks with the President. A preliminary decision over the matter was taken by the AL-body formed to make recommendations on forming the EC during its yesterdays meeting that began at Prime Minister and AL President Sheikh Hasinas Dhanmondi political office in the capital at 5:00pm and lasted one and a half hour. After the meeting, AL Law Affairs Secretary Abdul Matin Khasru told this correspondent: We have taken an unanimous decision to draft a proposal for enacting a law to constitute the EC. We will place the draft before our party president, Sheikh Hasina, for her approval and then it will be placed before the President during the talks. We will recommend to the President that a law be enacted, as per Article 118 of the Constitution, for appointing the chief election commissioner and other commissioners. Ruling party leader had earlier dismissed the possibility of enacting a law over the formation of the EC anytime soon. The party will sit for talks with President Abdul Hamid on January 11 over formation of the new Election Commission, as the tenure of the present EC ends in February. The President initiated the process of talks with political parties by inviting the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) for dialogue on December 18. On Wednesday, the AL formed a 10-member committee, headed by HT Imam, the Prime Ministers political adviser, for preparing a draft of proposals and recommendations on forming the EC, which the party will submit to the President. At the ALs central working committee (ALCWC) meeting, held at the party president Sheikh Hasinas official residence on Wednesday, the party selected the body, including its advisers. They members are HT Imam, Abdul Matin Khashru, Shafique Ahmed, Abdul Baset Majumder, Mohammad Zamir, Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir, Rashedul Alam, Dipu Moni, Abdur Razzak, Abdul Mannan Khan and Abdul Matin Khasru. According to Article 118(1) of the Constitution, there shall be an EC for Bangladesh, comprising the CEC and not more than four commissioners, and the appointment of the CEC and other commissioners (if any) shall, subject to the provisions of any law made in that behalf, be made by the President. Notwithstanding a constitutional obligation, a law to appint the CEC and other commissioners has not been framed in the last 45 years. Earlier, at a press conference at the partys Dhanmondi office, AL joint general secretary Mahbubul Alam Hanif had said the government started working on drafting a law for appointing the election commissioners as enshrined in the Constitution. The work of drafting the law will be completed shortly and then it will be placed in Parliament. None of the past governments took the initiative to enact a law for appointing the election commissioners. The Sheikh Hasina-led government has taken the initiative, he had added. He said this to reporters after a BNP delegation, led by its chairperson Khaleda Zia, held talks with the President at Bangabhaban on forming the EC. AL General Secretary, Obaidul Quader, also told this correspondent recently that the present government has a plan to formulate a law for appointing elections commissioners. When contacted, law minister Anisul Huq said yesterday that the government would formulate a law for constituting the new EC, if the President gives an order in this regard. As the President is discussing the issue with political parties, I cannot say anything more on the issue, he added. Most of the political parties, barring the BNP, have recommended to the President that a law be enacted for forming the new EC to oversee the 2019 general election. The present EC was formed in 2012 through a search committee. Most of the political parties had recommended formation of the search committee during talks with the then president Zillur Rahman.