No one will have to quit polls race: EC

Assuring the political parties of holding fair and credible polls on December 30, Election Commissioner Shah Nawaz on Sunday said they have taken all necessary measures so that no one is forced to boycott the local body polls this time.

“We’re alert as we’ve taken lessons from the elections we’d arranged in the past. That’s why I’m saying we’ve taken all measures so that no one is forced to quit the election race, unless he or she does it deliberately,” he said.

Talking to reporters at his Election Commission Secretariat office, the election commissioner further said, “We can assure you that from the EC we’ll monitor everything, everywhere so that a free and fair election is held.”

Shah Nawaz, however, said the commission will have nothing to do if any one boycotts the election deliberately.

Apart from boycotting the January-5 national election, 2014, BNP stayed away from the elections to the three city corporations in Dhaka and Chittagong halfway through on April 28 this year bringing the allegations of widespread vote rigging and capturing of polling centers by pro-Awami League men with the help of law enforcers and polling officials.

Though the city election were non-partisan ones, BNP-backed three mayoral candidates participated in Dhaka North City Corporation, Dhaka South City Corporation and Chittagong City Corporation polls.

About the allegation of violation of election code of conduct, Shah Nawaz said no party or candidate is yet to lodge any written complaint with the Commission about it. “We’ll surely take action if any one makes written complaint with us.”

He said it is the first responsibility of the returning officers to ensure that no one is violating the election code of conduct.

The Election Commissioner said they will also take action against the returning officers if they fail to perform their duty properly in this regard.

He also urged the political parties and candidates to come up with written complaints about any anomaly and allegation in the election.

As his attention was drawn to violation of polls code of conduct by some MPs at various places, Shah Nawaz urged the MPs to abide by the election code of conduct as law makers, and responsible and learned citizens of the country.