80 parties apply for EC registration

Eighty political parties have applied to the Election Commission for registration to participate in the upcoming 12th parliamentary elections. 

The Election Commission published the list of the political parties Sunday, the last day for submission of applications. 

The list includes a number of political parties, including Nagorik Oikko led by Mahmudur Rahman Manna, whose registrations were rejected previously. There are some newly formed parties, too, among the aspirants.

Among the parties that applied for registration this year are Noitik Samaj, Notun Bangla, Bangabandhu Dustho o Protibondhi Unnayan Parishad, Ityadi Party, Boiraboiri Party, Sanatan Party, Jatiya Insaf Party, Environment Green Party, Jubo Samaj Party, Bangladesh Minority Party, Janamat Party, Justice and Development Party, Am Janata Party, Amar Bangladesh Party, Justice Party, National Green Party, Bangladesh Bekar Samaj, Jonoswarthye Bangladesh and Nakful Bangladesh.

Seeking anonymity, an EC official said that 80 political parties have applied for registration this year, which was 76 in the previous election year. But it was found during the scrutiny that most of those are name-only parties. This time, even some social organisations have applied for registration as political parties.     

"One party submits a document with hundreds of pages which has to be scrutinised. In most cases, the information provided by the party proves to be false at the field level. That's why they do not get registration," the official said.    

According to the Representation of the People Order, 1972 (President's Order), any party willing to contest the national parliamentary or local government elections, must have registration with the EC. For the newly formed parties, it is mandatory to fulfill some preconditions to get registered such as having a central office, effective committees in at least one-third of the administrative districts and at least 200 voters in each of the 100 upazilas or metropolitan police stations. 

Regarding the registration, Election Commissioner (EC) Md Alamgir told reporters, "If any political party seeking registration fails to fulfill 100% of the conditions stipulated in the law, they will not be registered".

"Today is the last day to submit the application. Maybe tomorrow the commission will pick up the file in the secretariat. If we think more verification is needed after looking at the documents then that will be done", he said, adding: If 100% of the conditions are fulfilled, they will get registration. If any of the conditions is not fulfilled, then registration will not be granted. 

During the 11th national elections in 2018, a total of 76 political parties submitted applications for registration. But none of them was found eligible for registration. Later, two political parties got registration following court order.   

Before that, 43 political parties applied for registration ahead of the 10th national polls, of which only two got registration, as the rest failed to fulfill the conditions. 

In 2008, the EC introduced the rule for registration ahead of the 9th parliamentary elections. In the first year, 117 parties applied for registration of which only 39 got registration.  

The EC has given registration to 44 political parties since 2008. Meanwhile, the EC has cancelled registration of five political parties for failing to provide all the information and fulfill the conditions set by the EC. Those were – Freedom Party, Oikkyoboddho Nagorik Andolan, Progotishil Ganotantrik Party and Jatiya Ganotantrik Party. Besides, the registration of Jamaat-e-Islami was declared illegal by the court in 2013 ahead of the 10th national polls. 

At present, the number of registered political parties is 39.

The full list is provided below: