EC wants full powers for army at polls

Staff Reporter :

The Election Commission (EC) is preparing to submit a proposal to the Chief Adviser this week, seeking to extend the magistracy powers
of the armed forces during the forthcoming general election in February.

According to a Deutsche Welle (DW) report quoting Election Commissioner Abdur Rahmanel Masud, the draft amendment to the Representation of the People Order (RPO) will be sent to the advisory council for approval. The current provisions granting magistracy powers to the Army, Navy and Air Force are due to expire on 14 September.

Political parties and analysts have argued that the presence of the Army with magistracy authority is essential for ensuring a credible election, as police and local administration are often viewed as politically influenced.

Under the proposed amendment, the Army would serve as a primary law enforcement body during elections alongside other security agencies, including the police, Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), Ansar and Coast Guard.

Historically, the armed forces were deployed only as a “striking force” during elections, with the EC requiring prior government approval. In such cases, Army units were stationed outside polling centres and required the consent of a local magistrate to take action against offenders. Analysts note that magistrates themselves have sometimes been subject to political pressure.

The proposed changes aim to address these limitations. If approved, the Army would be deployed as a mainstream security agency during all types of elections, with the EC coordinating directly with Army Headquarters on operational details, without needing prior approval from the government.
Additionally, Army officers on duty would be empowered to take immediate action to maintain law and order at polling centres, without requiring authorisation from a magistrate. Like the police, they would also be authorised to detain suspected offenders for a specified period without a warrant.