How is the election manipulated by the polling agents?

Dr. Forqan Uddin Ahmed :

Bangladesh has just witnessed yet another historical election, marked by low voter turnout. In this non-competitive election, AL-nominated candidates won 222 out of 298 seats while the independent candidates of the same party won 62 seats.

That is, the ruling AL alone got 284 seats, 95 percent of the total seats. On the other hand, the main opposition in the current parliament, Jatiya Party, also known as the “domesticated opposition” opposition, won only 11 seats.

The ruling AL competed against its dummy candidates, while the main “opposition” party was elected with the ruling party’s support. So, this election was likely nothing but a friendly match between AL and its allies, the winner of which is already decided.

I am now highlighting the agent’s role and responsibility in all elections recently and previously completed.

The Election Agent of each candidate is entitled to visit the polling station and observe the poll.

There is only one Election Agent for each candidate. The candidate must submit prior written notice to the Returning Officer containing particulars of his election agent. Agents must give notice of appointment of polling agents.

There is no limit to the number of polling agents but no more than four may attend at any particular polling station. Polling agents are allowed to attend polling stations during the hours of poll to note any irregularities or prevent personation. Polling agents must not be confused with ‘tellers’ who have no status at the polling station.

In elections in the United Kingdom, Singapore and Malaysia, a polling agent is someone appointed by either the election agent of a candidate standing for election, or where there is no election agent the candidate personally, to oversee conduct of the poll at polling stations, from the installation of empty ballot boxes, through the day as voters cast their ballots, until the ballot boxes are sealed and collected for delivery to the count center.

The primary purpose of a polling agent is to assist in detection of personation. The appointment of a polling agent is not legally required. Polling agents are appointed after the period when nominations to the election are made.

The election timetable states when counting agents have to be appointed, usually about a week before the polling day. Only one polling agent per candidate may be admitted at any one time to a polling station, and they may not take information out of the polling station.

According to constitutional clause 119 of Bangladesh, the responsibility of the National Election lies on the Election Commission. For well management of this election the representation of the people order (RPO), 1972 is one of the legal frames under which the election is conducted. With the passage of time, this order has been amended.

Again there are gazette notifications in translated Bengali has also been issued in the form of S.R.O. and the continuation of gazette notification, the Election Commission has taken several steps for and peaceful election. The returning officer is the pivotal player to conduct elections.

As RPO 1972 and section 1 of clause 22 each candidate or his election agent may appoint polling agents in each polling center before the polling starts. In this connection the candidate is required to notify for appointment of agents. A candidate can appoint one polling agent for each polling room. The agent’s roles in the polling centers are very significant. They act as the representative of the candidate.

The polling agents ensure the use of boxes whether the boxes are transparent or empty and these boxes should be kept in the visible ranges of polling agents. They cannot move here and there. But it is found that they move from one room to another. In this situation, the agents may be terminated from their duty. In our country election engineering or manipulation is done mostly by the agents in the center.

The polling agents are found to take their mobile phones and use it in times of polling which is forbidden in the manual. But they are avoiding the instruction and at times creating pressure on presiding officers and trying to show political influence by using the mobile phone they invite others and publish untrue information of polling activities ultimately conveying messages of illegal plan or vote rigging in favor of their candidates.

What more the polling agents do inside the polling booth is beyond description. They at times take control of the whole voting system till the end. The preceding and the polling officers simply act as rubber stamps. The Election commission’s team became inactive and took hostage the agents’ group. This is one which is termed as terrors both raging games.

There are also soft and cold nature phenomena. Where the above mentioned is not possible, the agents try to influence voters by alluring him/her with gifts, cash and kind. Sometimes voters are also threatened. If this scenario continues our future democracy will be a far cry and people’s hopes and aspirations will come to a halt.

So, time has come to stop the anarchical and chaotic activities by party polling agents. Engaging polling agents in future elections must be revisited for ensuring credibility of election by national and international stakeholders.

Otherwise, the nation may suffer for ill practices of democratic rights and inefficacies by commission. So for the nation’s interest, all stakeholders of government specially, the election commission, should take measures to stop and address the agents’ issue creating dirty problems and ill practice inside the polling booth.

(The author is the former Deputy Director of Ansar and VDP )