Fugitives won't be able to contest polls: EC Sanuallah
The draft of the amended Representation of the People Order (RPO) has been finalised and sent to the law ministry for vetting, he said.
Highlights:
- Court-declared fugitives barred from contesting polls
- Draft RPO sent to law ministry for vetting
- AL can't join polls if ban on its activities not lifted
- District election officers, not deputy commissioners, to prepare polling centre lists
- Candidate spending capped at Tk10 per voter or Tk25 lakh per seat
- Security deposit for candidates raised to Tk50,000
Fugitives will not be able to contest in the upcoming national polls in February, Election Commissioner Brigadier General (retd) Abul Fazal Md Sanaullah said today (3 September).
Speaking to reporters at the Nirbachan Bhaban in the capital's Agargaon, he also informed that the draft of the amended Representation of the People Order (RPO) has been finalised and sent to the law ministry for vetting.
Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel
On polling centre management, the election commissioner said that from now on, district election officers, not deputy commissioners, will prepare the list of polling centres. Also, the presiding officer at a polling centre will decide when voting will begin and when it will end, he added.
"Previously, the presiding officer's decision was final. Later, this was amended to state that before voting began, law enforcement would assess the situation, and only after their report would the presiding officer start the voting. We have now reverted to the previous system. This makes the presiding officer the ultimate authority at the polling center," he said.
Sanaullah also said those who wish to run as candidates cannot hold the position of chairperson or member of the governing body of any educational institution in the relevant constituency.
Also, even if an alliance is formed between parties, votes must be cast for the symbol a candidate's own party, he said.
In case of a tie, re-voting will be held instead of a lottery, he also said.
Replying to a question, Sanaullah said Awami League will not be able to participate in the election if the ban on its activities is not lifted.
If a political party is not declared "illegal" but the government imposes a suspension order on its activities, in that case the registration of that political party and the symbol reserved for it will remain suspended, he added.
The election commissioner also stated that, if there is a single candidate in any constituency, they will not be declared the winner outright.
"In that case, voters will get a 'no vote' option in ballots. If the 'no vote' gets higher votes, the election schedule will be revised. In the revised schedule, If there is again only one candidate for that seat, no election will be held there," he added.
Regarding new rules for candidates, the election commissioner said, "A candidate may spend a maximum of Tk10 per voter or Tk25 lakh per constituency. Nomination papers cannot be submitted online, and if any affidavit information is proven false after election, the parliament membership will be cancelled."
Sanaullah further said the security deposit for parliamentary candidates has been raised from Tk20,000 to Tk50,000.
"Election posters have been banned, while the use of social media and artificial intelligence to violate the code of conduct will not be tolerated," he said.
He also noted that the armed forces, including the army, navy and air force, will now fall under the definition of law enforcement agencies.
The reforms come ahead of the 13th parliamentary election, following weeks of reviews by the Election Commission. Once vetted by the law ministry, the proposed RPO will be placed before the advisory council for approval, after which the President will issue an ordinance.
The commission will then publish the electoral code of conduct in the form of a gazette.
