EC issues guidelines for int’l poll observers

Staff Reporter :
The Election Commission has published guidelines for international observers, stipulating that individuals or organisations serving as observers should have a working experience of good governance, elections, democracy, peace building and human rights.

Director of Public Relations of the Election Commission Shariful Alam confirmed the matter on Tuesday.

Shariful Alam further informed that more than 150 local and foreign non-government organisations have applied to the election commission (EC) for registration as election observers.

Currently, they have not compiled all the applications, he added.

The committee will start reviewing them next week, he added.

Earlier, the EC had registered 66 local organizations as election observers for the upcoming 12th parliamentary election.

However, due to a shortage of local observer organizations, the EC reopened the registration process.

The commission again called for applications, setting the deadline on September 24.

According to the guideline, the applicant organisation should produce evidence of registration with the relevant authority of its own country.

It also stated that the applicant, individual or organisation shall comply with the election laws of Bangladesh.

According to the guidelines, the Election Commission will not entertain applications for observer accreditation from individuals with prior convictions related to electoral offenses, fraud, or dishonesty.

International election observers are required to submit their election observation reports within 30 days from the polling day to the secretary of the EC Secretariat.

The reports should be prepared based on pre-poll, poll-day and post-poll observations, according to the Election Commission’s policy.