Democracy can’t sustain without electoral reform

Staff Correspondent

Speakers at a roundtable discussion on Thursday said that hard-earned democracy could not sustain in the country if the electoral systems were not reformed to plug the loopholes for holding free and fair elections.

They emphasised the need for creating mass awareness about the voters, right to information on candidates and ensuring their right by the concerned authorities, specially the election commission.

Addressing the roundtable on ‘election reforms: perspective of Sunamgonj-3 by-election organised at the National Press Club by Sujan ( Sushasaner Janya Nagarik), they said that the election commission had enough power as vested on it by the constitution, calling on upon the Election commission to exercise the power .

Presided over by the convener of Sujan prof. Muzaffar Ahmed, it was addressed by agriculturist Dr. Abdur Razzak MP of Awami League, GM Kader MP of Jatiya party (Ershad), JSD President ASM Rab, former Law Minister and AL leader Abdul Matin Khasru, Shah M. Abdul Hanan, Dr. Badiul Alam Majumder, Sadek Siddiqui and Asif Nazrul, among others.

The speakers called upon the Election Commission to abide by the verdict of the High Court that instructed the Election Commission to implement the order with regards to providing eight information by the candidates for conlesting in national elections .

They blasted the Election Commission for not following the verdict of the high court saying the election commission had not so far shown its seriousness to implement the verdict. They opined that the Election Commission must abide by the directives given by the High Court.

Expressing concern over the criminalisaton of politics, they observed that the political parties must restrain themselves from nominating criminals corrupts and blackmoney-holders in any election, either at local or national level.

they observed that Election Commission should be loyal to the constitution, not to political parties or government.
 

http://www.bangladeshobserveronline.com/new/2005/07/15/front.htm