The possibility of the opposition’s joining the polls under the existing schedule has become almost nil with the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmed announcing on Sunday that the deadline for filing nomination forms for the next general elections would not be extended. “The December 2 deadline for submission of nomination forms will remain unchanged. There’ll be no change in this regard due to time constraint,” the CEC told reporters at the EC Secretariat in the evening.
The CEC came up with the remark apparently turning down Jatiya Party’s (Ershad) demand for time extension for the submission of nomination papers.
A delegation of the JP earlier called on the CEC and placed a 6-point charter of demands, including extension of the deadline for filing nomination papers by 10 days. Other demands of the JP include allowing magistracy power to armed forces, creating a level-playing field and reshuffle in public administration ahead of the 10th parliamentary election.
About the JP demands, Rakibuddin said the commission meeting will decide its demands except the one seeking time extension for nomination submission.
The EC boss, however, hinted at rescheduling the schedule in case of a consensus between the two major political parties. “Many avenues will remain open, if the opposition joins the election through a political compromise. We’re always for a compromise.”
As his attention was drawn to EU Ambassador William Hanna’s remark that the EU is yet to decide whether it’ll send election observers, the CEC said the commission usually invites all oversees monitoring agencies after the announcement of the election schedule informing them about the voting date.
“We’ll also invite them. The EU will sign an agreement with the foreign ministry in this regard,” he said.
The CEC announced the schedule for the 10th parliamentary polls on November 25.
As per the schedule, the deadline for submission of nomination papers is December 2 and the scrutiny of the nomination papers is December 5-6. The last date for withdrawal of candidature is December 13.
Election symbols will be allocated among the candidates on December 14.
Later, the contenders will get 21 days for electioneering and there will be a public holyday on the voting day.
Soon after the announcement of the schedule, the opposition has started massive agitation programmes across the country through observing back to back blockades in consecutive weeks that saw the deaths of 24 people until Sunday.
The opposition BNP on Sunday called upon the Election Commission to take steps for holding a credible election with the participation of all parties.
“We urge the Election Commission to postpone the election schedule announced earlier and take measures for holding a meaningful election with the participation of all parties,” BNP Acting Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said in a statement.
-With The Independent input
