Election campaign violating code of conducts

A NATIONAL daily reported on Thursday that the candidates of ruling party Awami League and other independent candidates belonging to ruling party but without having party nomination violated the electoral code of conducts in the first day’s electioneering campaign at many places across the country. At many places mayor candidates and councillors were already declared elected without contest. At other places party leaders not permitted to join campaign were also seen while most opposition mayoral candidates were not seen in the public and keeping out of trail fearing arrests. Clashed were also reported on the first day of the campaign. People are watching electoral codes being violated by ruling men. They were fighting among themselves to control the field while the opposition workers are on the run. So, voters are fiercely in panic before the polls. Meanwhile the role of Election Commission (EC) has become a matter of open controversy of its integrity and neutrality, because of open patronization of the ruling party men in the election.
This Municipal election appears to be a totally framed up game to keep the political forces engaged and establish absolute control of the ruling party in local bodies at upazila level and below to eliminate the opposition. So this election is not going to get any acceptance other than fomenting more chaotic fights and discord in local politics. Many believe that the government could use the occasion to signal a change to politics of accommodation and coexistence by letting this election to be held in free and fair environment giving the opposition a level playing field. But contrary to it, the situation may further deteriorate after this election as many fear.
We have said before and saying it again that such election looks like a stage managed game as the opposition BNP said and the cost of the election from the government exchequer will have therefore no justification. Why tax-payers’ money to be spent to establish the control of the ruling party at local government when voters will not have the environment to cast their vote freely out of choice. Voters who can’t freely vote obviously would not like to see their money to be misused. But the EC is spending tens of crore taka to orchestrate the election gimmick only to prove its allegiance to the government. Had the EC been free and fair, it could do more to make the election free and acceptable to the people. One party election is not election, it is selection of party nominees and we are afraid it will fail at the end.