Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) KM Nurul Huda has suggested formulating new laws for the national parliamentary elections. Since there have been many changes to the Representation of the People Order (RPO), a new order was given to the commission secretariat to formulate new laws.
The issue may be discussed at the next EC meeting.
However, there is a difference of opinion among commission officials about annulling RPO 1972.
The RPO was amended prior to the 11th National Parliamentary Election and, at that time, a Bengali draft of the RPO was also made, though the EC did not move with it due to lack of time.
Election Commission Secretary Helal Uddin Ahmed said, “The CEC has talked about formulating a new law though a decision has not been taken if the RPO will be translated in Bangla or a new set of laws will be formulated for national elections.”
The RPO carries the tradition of Bangabandhu and that’s why initiatives have been taken to translate the act into Bangla.
At a meet, the CEC said, “Since the RPO has been amended several times it can be made into a new law and we will send a proposal in this regard to the government.”