Zilla Parishad polls also to be monitored with CCTV: CEC

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kazi Habibul Awal has reiterated that the Election Commission is not under any pressure after cancelling the Gaibandha-5 by-election and said the Zilla Parishad polls on Monday will also be monitored with CCTV cameras.

"The use of CCTV cameras is a recent phenomenon. We earlier used the technology in two elections. And this is definitely a step forward. We monitor centrally so that voters can vote. It is a good initiative," he told journalists at the EC headquarters on Sunday.

Earlier on 12 October, the EC scrapped the Gaibandha by-election after witnessing irregularities through CCTV cameras from Dhaka.
Since then, many of the ruling party leaders, including Awami League General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader, have criticised the commission.

"But we are not feeling any pressure over this. We are doing our job," the CEC said on Sunday.

He had made a similar claim earlier on Thursday.

In response to the question what the EC will do if it sees the same picture in the Zilla Parishad elections, he said, "I cannot say anything in advance. And this is a different kind of election. Only electorates will vote here."

Asked about the use of CCTV cameras in the upcoming national elections, Election Commissioner Md Alamgir, who was accompanying the CEC, said, "We are monitoring through CCTV cameras on an experimental basis. We are discussing the matter with our technical experts."

He said there are 42,000 centres and 4 lakh booths in national elections.

"The election can be monitored. We have to do it on a much larger scale – a lot of people have to be hired. Then there will be many more people to monitor, not just five of us. We have officers in our secretariat. They will be given responsibility. They will all monitor together," said the commissioner.

Md Alamgir said there will be CCTV cameras in all centres and rooms of Zilla Parishad elections. The polling will be monitored in the same manner as the Gaibandha-5 by-election.

Voting will be held in 57 districts of the country from 9am to 2pm for the posts of Zilla Parishad chairman, general members and reserved members. A total of 671 public representatives will be elected in the three posts.

The total number of voters is 60,866. All the voters of this election are elected public representatives of union parishads, municipalities, upazilas and city corporations.

The EC has said voters will not be able to enter polling booths with a mobile phone or take pictures in any other way.

Voting was due to be held in 61 zilla parishads of the country, excluding three hill districts – Rangamati, Bandarban and Khagrachhari.

However, all the candidates of the two districts – Bhola and Feni – were elected unopposed. Besides, polling in two districts – Noakhali and Chapainawabganj – has been suspended by court orders.