Workers Party also for making a law on EC formation
Politics is now out of the hands of politicians…even in the parliament, there is no place for politicians
The Workers Party of Bangladesh has proposed the formation of an independent and impartial election commission by enacting a law in accordance with the constitution.
"Politics is now out of the hands of politicians. Even in the parliament, there is no place for politicians," Workers Party (WP) President Rashed Khan Menon quoted the president as saying during a dialogue with the president over formation of the next election commission on Tuesday.
Menon said, "This is our observation also. The election commission can play a big role in bringing back the politicians to politics."
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Earlier, a seven-member WP delegation, led by Menon, took part in the dialogue with the president at Bangabhaban as part of the president's ongoing series of dialogues with political parties seeking views on the formation of the next EC.
Referring to the law minister's statement that there is not enough time to enact a new law, the WP leaders told the president, "There are examples in parliament that not only a new law was made, but the constitution also was amended in much less time."
If the law could not be enacted, the party leaders said, the names of the search committee members should be sent to the president after verification by the parliamentary advisory committee. The president will appoint the election commissioners from that list.
Menon said, "In 2011 and 2016 also, we had proposed to make new legislation. We placed the same proposal today again. It is sad to come up with the same thing three times."
"The president has agreed with us to legislate. It is important to do this. Moreover, all political parties are in agreement over the issue."
"The formation of an election commission without law has always created controversy, creating distrust over the impartiality of the commission," he added.
The leftist leader said, "We want an effective election commission. We have seen the commission's indifference during the ongoing UP polls. They termed the election violence a festival."
