It is disappointing to note that the Election Commission (EC) and the Ministry of Finance are at odds over determining the honorarium of trainers in supporting election training. Though the key responsibility of the Commission is to conduct free, fair and participatory elections, the constitutional body is reportedly persisting over the allowances. Was this EC able to hold any inclusive elections? If not, then why spend public tax money on training? When the country is in dire economic crisis, it is inappropriate for the Commission to insist on the amount of allowances.
According to media reports, the EC has fixed an honorarium of Tk 7,500 for each one and a half hour sessions for the Chief Election Commissioner and the Election Commissioners as trainers. But the finance ministry disagreed and reduced the benefits.
However, the EC officials think that the ministry has no authority to reduce the remuneration fixed by the Commission as it is an independent constitutional body.
As long as the EC does not insist on dissolution of the parliament before the parliamentary election it does not show its independence. Why the Commission cannot see how the parliamentary elections take place in India and other countries.
The last two national elections and the recent local government elections were neither fair nor participatory. This Commission argues that they have retained the allowances for training that were fixed by the previous EC. But there was an allegation of financial scandal during that Commission. So, it will be very unfortunate if the present EC also follows that path.
Meanwhile, politicians and human rights activists at a seminar on Thursday observed that Bangladesh was on the brink of a political crisis. In 2014, the government selected candidates in 153 constituencies uncontested and massively rigged the 2018 general elections. The national elections in 2018 were the lowest point in our democracy, they alleged. They observed that the ruling Awami League banned the 15th amendment to
the Constitution instead of finding the system’s faults and fixing that. So, they think our political culture would not allow a free and fair election with a government in power.
The EC should now insist on a fair election environment. Just claiming independence does not make the body independent.
