The Election Commission’s (EC) decision to lift the restriction on MP’s taking part in the campaigns for city corporation election has been described by analysts as ‘suicidal’.
According to them, it’s the final nail in the coffin of the little control the EC has over local government election.
On Thursday, the Commission approved the City Corporation (election code of conduct) Rules 2018 paving the way for the lawmakers to campaign for candidates. The amendments, however, needs to be vetted by the law ministry.
"Since parliament membership is not an office of profit, the definition of VIPs will not include lawmakers," EC secretary Helaluddin Ahmed told the media after the commission’s meeting.
Replying to a query, he said the chances of implementing the amended code of conduct in the upcoming polls to the Gazipur City Corporation were low.
“The schedule has been already announced and the voting is slated for Jun 26. The possibilities are very slim,” said Ahmed.
Elaborating on the decision to allow MPs, he said that the lawmakers do not use vehicles provided by the government or do not get to appoint staffer on government payroll. “That’s why they have been excluded.”
Asked whether the decision was based on proposals by the ruling party, the EC official described the Awami League as one of its stakeholders. “They forward a lot of proposals. The EC considers those, which it finds logical.”
The EC has proposed to bring 11 amendments to the city corporation code of conduct, which will be sent to the law ministry for vetting on Sunday, added Ahmed.
Lawmakers campaigning for their party’s candidates in local government polls have been an issue for debate for quite some time now.
The previous Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmad-led commission had initiated to allow MPs, but later refrained.
The existing code of conduct bars MPs to travel to their constituencies as soon as the polls schedules are announced. The same goes for ministers. They, however, are allowed on voting day to cast their franchises.
Former election commissioner M Sakhawat Hossain finds the move “not good at all”.
“After extensive discussion and analysis, lawmakers were barred from local government election campaigns,” he told Bangla Tribune. “The electoral process has plunged into a major crisis and the EC’s decision will intensify it,” he said.
Referring to the recent Khulna city polls, Hossain said the Commission had no control over what happened.
Local government expert Tofael Ahmed said the MP’s were allowed previously, but the restriction came as it created problems.
Reminding the EC of upcoming national elections, he said, “Ensuring an all-inclusive election is the EC’s biggest challenge. The commission lost its credibility with the decision.”
Badiul Alam Mazumder, the secretary for civic body ‘Sujan’, found the move unfortunate but said they have been anticipating it.
“The EC said creating a level-playing field was behind the decision, but actually it will ruin it. Our MPs are very influential and they control everything in their constituencies.”
Describing the move as ‘suicidal’, Mazumder said it has destroyed whatever credibility the commission had earned since taking office.
Related Story
