EC held neutral polls in 5 years: outgoing CEC

Outgoing Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmad said today they had passed the last five years successfully holding all the elections in a free, fair and neutral manner.

"After taking oath, I committed to performing my professional duties neutrally. I maintained my neutrality and held free, fair and neutral elections facing all the challenges," he told a press conference arranged on his last working day as the CEC at Media Centre of the EC secretariat.

Outgoing Election Commissioners Mohammad Abdul Mobarak, Mohammad Abu Hafiz, Brigadier General Md. Zabed Ali (retd.) and Md. Shah Nawaz were present.

Referring to the 10th parliamentary elections, Ahmed said, "Holding of the 10th parliamentary election was a constitutional obligation. An anarchic situation could have been created if the election was not held and the commission saved the country from a constitutional vacuum by holding the election."

"Though a big political party boycotted the election, 12 registered political parties took part in the 10th parliamentary election. A total of 40.04 percent voters cast their votes in the election despite severe obstruction and anxiety."

Mentioning the EC`s success in holding the Narayanganj City Corporation (NCC) in a free, fair and neutral manner which was accepted and praised by all quarters, he said adding, "We have held 7088 elections neutrally to different parliamentary seats, Union Parishads, municipalities, upazilas, district councils and city corporations during the five-year tenure."

The CEC and three commissioners took the charge of the EC on February 9 in 2012. The five-year tenure of the commission ended today (February 8). But, Commissioner Md. Shah Nawaz assumed office on February 14 in 2012. He will continue his office till February 14 this year.

The new CEC and other commissioners are expected to take oath on February 15.

Source: BSS