Sunamganj By-election
EC blamed for violating HC directives
Staff Correspondent

Speakers at a roundtable yesterday accused the Election Commission (EC) of violating the directives of the High Court (HC) to collect details of the candidates and make them public ahead of the Sunamganj-3 by-election.
"The EC's failure to comply with the directives is tantamount to contempt of court, and that's why we are thinking to go to HC again," said Prof Muzaffer Ahmed, convenor of Sujan, a coalition dedicated to promoting good governance. The roundtable was organised by Sujan at the National Press Club in the city.

The HC had clearly directed the EC to collect detailed information about the candidates in order to inform the voters, he said, adding, "We do not know what the EC has so far done in this regard despite repeated attempts." Prof Ahmed said honest and competent people should be recruited to the EC for proper exercising of its power.

"The HC directives are very crucial in keeping the black money holders away from the parliament election, but the commission has failed to implement them properly," said Member Secretary of Sujan Prof Badiul Alam Majumdar.

"With a view to knowing the details of the candidates of the by-election, we have sought original affidavits from the chief election commissioner (CEC), but failed to receive them despite repeated requests," he alleged.

The CEC's remark that the HC directives are not mandatory will definitely foil the purpose of a free and fair election, said Prof Majumdar.

The forthcoming Sunamganj by-election provides a test case for implementing the directives enabling the voters to know detailed information about the candidates, he asserted.

Former law minister Abdul Matin Khasru stressed the need for reaching a consensus to keep the election free from the influence of black money and muscle power.

Jatiya Party Presidium Member GM Kader MP, Awami League leader Dr Md Abdur Razzak MP, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal leader ASM Abdur Rab, Prof Asif Nazrul, Prof Md Masum and Prof Anwar Hossain also spoke on the occasion.
 

http://www.thedailystar.net/2005/07/15/d50715060360.htm