As many as 38 organisations have applied for registration as political parties, with the Election Commission (EC), to contest the forthcoming parliamentary polls.
Election commissioner Mohammad Abdul Hafiz told The Independent that it was mandatory for outfits, willing to take part in general elections, to be registered with the EC. “According to the Representation of the People (Amendment) Ordinance, 2008, and Representation of the People (Second Amendment), Ordinance, 2008, rules made thereunder, namely Registration of Political Parties, 2008, lays down conditions related to registration,” Hafiz said.
The EC had issued a circular last November, asking political outfits to submit their registration applications by December 31, 2012, for the next parliamentary polls, to be held by January 24, 2014.
According to the Representation of the People Order (Amended), 1972, a political party willing to be registered has to fulfil one of the following criteria: (i) it secured at least one seat under its electoral symbol, in any parliamentary election held since the independence of Bangladesh; or (ii) secured 5 percent of the total votes cast in the constituencies, in which, its candidates took part in any of the parliamentary elections; or (iii) established a functional central office, by whatever name it may be called, with a central committee (as a base for organising the structure of the party at various administrative levels in the country) and district offices in at least in one-third of the administrative districts, offices and at least a minimum number of 200 voters as its members in 100 upazilas or metropolitan thanas.
The poll panel was now scrutinising the details of the applicants, and if they fulfilled the conditions. The EC would hopefully publish the decision between August and November of this year, as the present parliament was expected to be dissolved by then, Hafiz said.
The political outfits which applied for the registration are: Public Party, Jatiya Muktijoddha Ganatantrik Oikya Front, Jamiyate Ulama-e-Islam O Nejam-e-Islam Party, Bangladesh Islamic Party, Bangladesh Liberal Democratic Party, Bangladesh People’s League, Ganotantrik Islamic Movement, Mukta Rajnaitik Andolan, People Power Party (Ganoshakti Dal), Bangladesher Samajtantrik Dal, Bangladesh Anjuman-e-Al Islam, Bangladesh Trinamul League, Bangladesh Prabasi Dal, Bangladesh Janata Dal, Matribhumi Dal Bangladesh, Bangladesh Janoganotantrik Dal, Bangladesh Sammilito Ganotantrik Party, Bangladesh Muslim League, Bangladesh People’s Democratic Party, Bangladesh New Sangsad League, Bangladesh Nationalist Front, Bangladesh Jatiya Dal, Bangladesh Sanskritik Mukti Jote, Bangladesh Gano Odhikar Party, Bangladesh Gano Seba Andolan, Bangladesh Gano Odhikar Dal, and Bangladesh Baam Front.
ATM Shamsul Huda, who was the Chief Election Commissioner in 2008, when the military-backed emergency government was in power, had enacted the provision for political parties to get registered with the EC, to contest in parliamentary polls.
As many as 107 political outfits had sought registration with the EC, before the 2008 general election. However, only 39 applications were accepted.
-with The Independent input
