Citizen Coalition Statement: Demand for annulment of dual citizens nomination
Staff Reporter :
The Citizen Coalition has expressed concern over the participation of dual citizens in the upcoming 13th parliamentary election.
The platform has also demanded that, if allegations of dual citizenship against certain candidates are proven through investigation, their nomination papers be cancelled.
The demand was made in a statement signed on Saturday by Fahim Mashrur, Co-Coordinator of the Citizen Coalition.
The statement says that people across the country have been eagerly awaiting the parliamentary election scheduled for 12 February and the democratic transition of the state through it.
The Coalition firmly believes that the proper, impartial, and strict enforcement of electoral laws is essential for a free and fair election.
However, civil society is observing with deep concern that in some cases the Election Commission has failed to follow due process while approving candidates’ eligibility under the law.
According to the Citizen Coalition, on 22 January, Transparency International revealed some important information at a press conference.
Based on this information, several candidates, in the affidavits submitted to the Election Commission, clearly concealed facts regarding their foreign citizenship and overseas assets.
This constitutes a clear violation of electoral law, and such offences warrant cancellation of their candidacies.
Unfortunately, the Election Commission has declared the candidacies of those accused as valid, and they are set to contest the upcoming election.
The Citizen Coalition believes that the opportunity to re-establish democracy in the country—earned at the cost of thousands of lives—should not be tainted by the Election Commission’s erroneous (perhaps unintentional) decisions regarding a handful of candidates.
Doing so would amount to disrespecting the sacrifices of the martyrs who gave their lives in the July movement.
The Citizen Coalition demands that elections be suspended in constituencies where fresh and specific allegations of dual citizenship have been raised against candidates, and that these allegations be thoroughly investigated.
If the allegations are not proven, the Election Commission should announce new election dates for those constituencies as quickly as possible.
If the allegations are proven, the nomination papers of the concerned candidates should be cancelled. Taking such steps is both a moral and legal duty of the Election Commission.