Staff Reporter :
Head of the Electoral System Reform Commission, Badiul Alam Majumdar, emphasised that the Election Commission is solely responsible for determining eligibility for election participation, rather than the reform commission, whose role is to propose improvements to the electoral framework.
Speaking to journalists after a public event in Chattogram on Sunday, Majumdar clarified the commission’s mandate, saying, “The Election Commission will decide who can join the election and who is eligible or ineligible for the polls, whereas our task is to place proposals for reforms to the electoral system.”
The event, which focused on exchanging views regarding electoral reforms, was attended by people from various sectors and featured input from commission members Tofail Ahmed and Jesmin Tuli.
Discussions ranged from structural improvements to ensuring free and fair elections.
Highlighting the public’s demand for credible polls, Majumdar stated, “Everyone wants a fair election.
We will present some proposals, but it is the responsibility of the government to implement those.”
Reform Proposals Expected by Year-End Addressing the timeline for the commission’s work, Majumdar indicated that recommendations on reforms would be submitted by December 31.
He further noted that the Chief Adviser to the government had prioritised initiating electoral processes, with the formation of the Election Commission being the first step.
However, he stressed the need for follow-up actions, such as updating voter lists, to maintain momentum.
Constitutional and Broader Electoral Reforms Regarding potential changes, Majumdar acknowledged that implementing some of the proposals might require constitutional amendments. He noted, “We will recommend reforms to the electoral system.
We are also considering options like proportional representation.
However, these are not our decisions to make. Issues requiring constitutional changes must be addressed by the appropriate constitutional commission.”
The commission’s remarks come amid increasing public discourse on ensuring inclusive and transparent elections, with many stakeholders urging political consensus to strengthen democratic processes.
