New election commission formation: Search panel asks parties for names

The search committee, tasked with recommending people for appointments to the upcoming Election Commission, has sought names from political parties.

The panel will also hold separate talks with civil society members, media personalities and election experts next week before finalising the names it will send to the president.

In a circular last night, the Cabinet Division said each of the registered political parties can propose maximum 10 names for the posts of the chief election commissioner (CEC) and other commissioners.

People interested in the EC job can recommend their own names as well.

The names must be submitted either to the Cabinet Division or gfp_sec@cabinet.gov.bd by 5:00pm on Thursday, the circular said.

Earlier in the day, Cabinet Secretary Khandker Anwarul Islam said the six-member search committee, formed by President Abdul Hamid in line with a new law, will submit the names by February 24, the day the tenure of the panel expires.

The president will then appoint the CEC and other commissioners based on the panel's recommendations, according to the law.

"The names will be given before the stipulated time," Anwarul told reporters after the panel's first meeting yesterday. The meeting held at the Supreme Court Judges Lounge continued for more than two hours.

Asked whether the committee will be able to complete the task before the expiry of the current Election Commission's tenure on February 14, Anwarul said, "We're also considering it. If there is any such obligation, the names will be submitted by that day."

Meeting sources, however, said the committee would submit the names by February 24, not by February 14.

The search committee held the meeting just a day after it was formed by the president. It will suggest two names for each of the posts of the CEC and commissioners. The Cabinet Division is providing it with secretarial support.

The previous search committee, in 2017, had sought names from political parties for appointments to the EC. The parties submitted names, but those were never disclosed.

The president held talks with 25 political parties from December 20 to January 17 on forming the upcoming EC. Seven other parties, including the BNP, however, did not participate in the dialogue, terming it "meaningless".

Asked whether the BNP will submit any names to the search committee, party's Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir told The Daily Star, "There is no reason why we should submit them. We have repeatedly said no free and fair election is possible under the incumbent government.

"This is our stance on the issue."

The cabinet secretary said the search committee would hold talks with civil society members, media personalities and election experts in separate meetings on Saturday and Sunday.

"It will seek suggestions and proposals from them. It will then review the suggestions and finalise 10 names after examining all the legal aspects and other relevant issues in line with the law," he said.

Sources in yesterday's meeting said the committee did not decide how many people would be invited to the three meetings. It will be decided in the next meeting of the committee, the sources said.

The previous search committee also held talks with civil society members, media personalities and election experts.

The cabinet secretary said in its first meeting, the committee mainly discussed its work procedures. The next meeting will take place at 4:30pm on Tuesday at the same venue.

Asked whether the 10 finalised names would be disclosed, he said, "If the president does not give his approval, how will the names be disclosed."

The committee is headed by Justice Obaidul Hassan, a Supreme Court lawyer. Its other members are Justice SM Kuddus Zaman, a High Court judge; Comptroller and Auditor General Mohammad Muslim Chowdhury; Public Service Commission Chairman Md Sohorab Hossain; former election commissioner Sohul Hussain; and psychiatrist and writer Anwara Syed Haq. All of them attended the meeting yesterday.

Later, Justice Obaidul Hassan told journalists that the cabinet secretary would brief the media after every committee meeting.

Meanwhile, Sushasoner Jonno Nagorik (Sujan) said finding competent people for the EC appointments was possible if the work was done maintaining transparency and neutrality.

"We are urging the search committee to work properly for the greater interest of the country," it said in a statement yesterday.