Impossible for EC to monitor 45k centres through CCtvs in national polls: Shujan

Shushashoner Jonno Nagorik (Shujan) on Saturday suggested the Election Commission use the 'nuclear option' – the power to halt or deny to hold the election and suspend the election results – to check the election manipulation and vote rigging in the forthcoming 12th parliamentary elections slated for 2023.   

At a virtual press briefing titled "What Messages the Gaibandha-5 Election Conveyed", the civil society organisation also noted that it was impossible to hold a fair election in the country under a partisan government.

In a written statement, Shujan Secretary Badiul Alam Majumdar said the Gaibandha by-polls have conveyed some important messages. It was clear that the EC cannot hold even a fair by-poll unless the administration, law enforcers, and the government want it that way.

"In this case, they can prevent the controversial and unfair elections using the nuclear option in their hands," said Badiul Alam. 

He, however, suggested the commission avoid the possibility to halt any election for the sake of public interest. 

Badiul Alam also suggested that the commission can demand the government and the ruling party to amend the Constitutional Structure regarding the election-time government to ensure the impartial role of the administration and the law enforcers in the next national elections.  

He added that the EC should backtrack on its decisions on using EVMs in the elections which can be used for electoral fraud to reclaim confidence in them.     

In answering questions from the journalists, Badiul Alam said an election-time government is required which should be formed by the political parties themselves through concurrence.  

The Shujan secretary alleged that the commission created confusion over several issues through their media statement after the Gaibandha by-polls. 

"They tried to establish that the only problem with EVMs is the possibility of the presence of robbers in the secret booths and that installation of CCTV there is the only solution to check vote rigging," said Badiul Alam.    

It is impossible for the EC to determine the fairness of the elections by observing the CCtv footage as there will be 45,000 centres with hundreds of thousands of booths, he added. 

He reiterated that it is not possible for the EC to hold fair elections in 300 seats by using CCTV and EVMs when the same commission cannot hold a simple by-election properly. 

Appreciating the EC for their bold step to suspend the by-polls in the Gaibandha-5 seat, Badiul Alam expressed his suspicion over the EC's role there.  

"Earlier, the ECs used to claim to have held fair elections except for some scattered incidents if any complaint of irregularities was raised. But in the case of Gaibandha-5 by-polls, it can be inferred that the EC was aware of the possible presence of vote robbers and non-cooperation of the law enforcers." 

It is suspicious that the EC did not take any prior measure to detain the vote robbers and rather took secret positions to uncover the non-cooperation of the law enforcers, he added.      

"Now we should see whether the commission can take any action against the offenders. Only then their strict position can be proved," said Badiul Alam.