CEC says no sham election will be held this time
He assured that the commission would ensure a level playing field for all candidates.
Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) AMM Nasir Uddin on Thursday said no “staged” election would take place this time, stressing that the Election Commission (EC) is firmly committed to ensuring a fair and just electoral process.
He made the remarks on the fourth day of hearings on appeals against the acceptance and rejection of nomination papers, following a visit to the appeal booths at the Election Commission Secretariat in Agargaon, Dhaka.
The CEC said all appeals challenging the approval or cancellation of nominations would be settled strictly in accordance with the law. Emphasising the commission’s commitment to justice, he said everyone would receive fair treatment.
He also assured that the EC would guarantee a level playing field for all candidates and that the entire appeal hearing process would be conducted with the highest level of transparency, with each application examined carefully before any legal decision is made.
Meanwhile, from early morning, applicants from different parts of the country have been arriving at the EC to submit appeals. The appeal submission process will continue until 5:00pm on 9 January.
Hearings on the appeals are scheduled to take place between 10 and 18 January at the auditorium (Basement-2) of Nirbachan Bhaban.
Over the past three days, a total of 295 appeals have been filed—131 on Wednesday, 122 on Tuesday and 41 on the first day, Monday.
Earlier, on the final day of scrutiny on 4 January, returning officers and assistant returning officers declared 1,842 nomination papers valid and rejected 723 out of a total of 2,568 nominations for the 300 parliamentary constituencies.
What's Your Reaction?
