EC clashes with reform proposals

A rift emerged on Monday, March 17, as the Election Commission (EC) fired off a letter to the National Consensus Commission, bristling at reforms it fears will clip its wings. 

The constitutional body, tasked with safeguarding Bangladesh’s polls, isn’t mincing words: the Electoral Reform Commission’s ideas threaten its autonomy—and it’s pushing back hard.  

EC Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed confirmed the dissent to reporters, noting the letter landed with Vice-Chairman Dr Ali Riaz of the Consensus Commission. “We sent it because these proposals curb our power,” Ahmed said bluntly. 

“If they didn’t, I wouldn’t have bothered. We’ve got the right to object, and we’ve used it.”  

The EC’s grievances? Plenty. Start with boundary re-demarcation: the Reform Commission wants a hand in it, but Ahmed waved it off. “People shift—villages empty, cities swell. Seats tilt urban. Why meddle? Base it on voters, population, geography, and regional ties—done.”  

Then there’s the 48-hour result certification rule. “Pointless,” he snapped. “Returning Officers already hold off if polls stink—that’s your gazette, your proof. What’s this extra mechanism? It’s a detour to nowhere.”  

The National ID card stirs another sore spot. “We’ve honed this since 2007—skills, experience, all here,” Ahmed argued. “Why snatch it away? Strengthen us instead.” On accountability, the Reform Commission suggests punishing EC violations via the Supreme Judicial Council or new laws. Ahmed scoffed: “Realistic? Five years after I’m gone, you drag me to court over a 20-year-old case? Say it now—or let the election stand. Someone wins, others lose—that’s the game.”  

The proposal to cram local and national elections into four months? “Impossible,” he declared, leaving no room for debate.  

This isn’t just a policy spat—it’s the EC guarding its turf against a reform wave it sees as overreach. Ahmed’s letter lays bare a deeper tension: who shapes Bangladesh’s electoral soul? As the Consensus Commission mulls its next move, the EC stands firm—autonomy isn’t up for grabs.