Constitutional framework a major barrier to hold neutral election

Staff Reporter :
The Constitutional framework is a major obstacle to hold a free, fair and credible election, said a Non-governmental organization (NGO) Shushashoner Jonno Nagorik (SHUJAN): Citizens for Good Governance.
Shujan said Election Commission (EC) should have told the government to remove the hurdles to orginise the impartial polls.
In a virtual press briefing, Shujan Secretary Dr Badiul Alam Majumdar has presented the key notes.
He said constitutionally our EC is having immense power for holding a good election. According to constitution, an election means participatory, free and credible polls. So, there is no scope to arrange questionable polls.
In the programme, local government specialist Dr Tofail Ahmed said, people are not interested to go to centre for casting their votes. It is not a good sign for any democratic system.
If we fail to reconstruct our electoral system, our democracy will disappear gradually.
Constitutional expert Dr Shahdin Malik said according to our constitution’s article 111, everybody is bound to abide by the Supreme Court verdict.
He said what the Supreme Court has said has already become law. Therefore, even if the commission has been given the power to cancel the election by the court’s ruling, it raises the question of what is the purpose of seeking to amend the law again.
The programme was presided by Justice Abdul Matin. Shujan Assistant Secretary Jakir Hossain, Professor Robayet Ferdous, Akbar Hosen and Faruk Mahmud Chowdhury were present in the occasion.