Opposition demands formation of new Election Commission

They also demanded formation of a credible commission for a free and fair election.

Awami League leader Mohammad Nasim MP and JP leader GM Qader MP gave their reactions to the EC's new decision to update the voter list through door-to-door visit.

"The CEC and two other election commissioners lost people's confidence, and free and fair elections are not possible under them," Nasim told UNB shortly after the EC's announcement in the regard yesterday.

He said a credible Election Commission must be formed immediately alongside updating the existing voter list.

The AL leader observed that the present EC has already lost its credibility by "ignoring the High Court judgement and misinterpreting the Supreme Court's verdict" regarding the voter list.

The government must take an initiative immediately to constitute a new Election Commission that would enjoy confidence of the people, Nasim said.

JP presidium member GM Qader said whatever the incumbent Election Commission did, people would continue to harbour suspicion about their capability and neutrality.

"Major strength of an institution like Election Commission is people's confidence. But It seems to me that the incumbent EC lost people's confidence," he said.

He made a strong plea that the CEC and two other commissioners should quit to help resolve the problems.

Nazmul Huda

Meanwhile, Communications Minister Nazmul Huda welcomed the Election Commission's decision to go door to door for updating the existing voters' list, saying that it would yield a positive result.

"They (EC) have now realised that they can't avoid it as they have seen less response among the voters to go to designated offices and include themselves in the list," he told on Friday night, reacting to the EC's latest decision on the updating of the voting roll.

Nazmul Huda observed that it is the primary responsibility of the Election Commission to make every eligible citizen a voter and get eligible voters enlisted.

"This is good to go door to door and exclude fake and dead voters and enlist new eligible voters," he said.

Asked if the incumbent EC, headed by CEC Justice MA Aziz, lost credibility for its controversial decisions, the minister who was also a bit critical about the Commission's stances, said there is no recognised means to assess public credibility of the Election Commission.

" I personally feel he (CEC) has taken it up as a challenge to prove his worth for holding free and fair elections. So, this gentleman should be given a try to prove his worth," he said, adding, "at the end of the day, people could judge the right or wrong he has done."