Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kazi Rokibuddin Ahmad yesterday admitted poor voter turnout and said the low turnout was logical due to the boycott of polls by the opposition parties. However, the CEC added that he had visited a polling centre in Dhaka and its voting environment was fine and the election was held peacefully. At a briefing at the Election Commission Secretariat around 2:25am today, he also said that voting was peaceful in 97 per cent polling centres.
About the percentage of votes cast, the CEC said it would only be confirmed after results of all the centres reach the EC.
Earlier yesterday, he said that the commission will hold re-elections at all the polling centers, where polling was suspended following violence and other causes, before January 24.
“We have suspended voting in 391 polling centers of different constituencies,” he told reporters at a press briefing at the media centre of the EC yesterday afternoon.
The CEC informed that he has already asked the authorities concerned to take stern
action against the ‘miscreants,’ who have committed crimes to foil polls in different parts of the country.
“We’ve given clear instructions to the law-enforcement agencies to take action against the miscreants as the miscreants are miscreants, and they don’t belong to any party. We’ve also instructed the concerned to file cases in each and every incident so that justice is ensured in each and every incident,” he said.
UNB adds: The CEC said he has visited one polling centre in the city where he witnessed fair voting in presence of enough members of law-enforcement agencies and election observers.
Asked about the alleged irregularities in the polling, Rakibuddin said all the polling activities are under the process of judicial scrutiny. “The issue does not end here as it is a judicial process, and none would be spared if there’s any irregularity.”
Apart from the Election Commission, he said, the High Court would also take action if there is any irregularity.
-With The Independent input
