The Election Commission (EC) has already taken action against many candidates of the 12th parliamentary polls based on the inquiry reports submitted by the election inquiry committees.
The ‘Election Inquiry Committee’ formed by the EC in 300 constituencies to deal with pre-election irregularities has been continuing duties to force the candidates to follow the electoral code. The enquiry committees are active across the country.
There is an inquiry committee in each constituency consisting of judicial magistrates. The committees are issuing show-cause notice and sending recommendations to the EC for action. The election enquiry committees began their activities on November 18.
In the last one and half month, the election inquiry committees issued over 500 show-cause notices to many candidates for violating the election code of conduct.
In the latest development, the election enquiry committee for the Sylhet-6 constituency issued a show-causes notice to Trinomul BNP chairman Shamsher Mobin Chowdhury, the party’s candidate for the constituency with ‘golden fibre’ symbol.
Signed by chairman of the enquiry committee Al-Asad Md Mahmudul Islam, the show-cause notice was sent to the Trinomul BNP chief on Thursday (January 4).
In the notice, it was said that Shamser Mobin Chowdhury publicly donated to an institution by attending a waj mahfil organised by the Intejamia Committee at Baseshwar Union at Golapganj on Tuesday. It is a violation of the electoral code of conduct.
The inquiry committee summoned Shamser Mobin Chowdhury. He or any of his representatives has to appear before the inquiry committee at 4:00 pm on Friday with written explanation.
However, based on the inquiry report of a committee, the EC on Tuesday even cancelled the candidature of independent candidate for Laxmipur-1 constituency Mohammad Habibur Rahman Paban for violating the electoral code. He later got back the candidacy through a legal battle.
Meanwhile, the EC has granted permission for the suspension of Additional Commissioner (AC) of police in Barishal Metropolitan Police Hamidul Alam.
The decision comes in response to allegations that the police official was using his administrative power to influence the electoral process in favour of his wife Shahzadi Alam Lipi, an independent candidate for the Bogura-1 constituency.
The EC’s decision, communicated in a letter signed by Deputy Secretary Mizanur Rahman on January 3, allows for the suspension of Additional Commissioner Hamidul Alam and his attachment to the police department.
Hamidul Alam’s involvement in his wife’s election campaign gained the attention of the election inquiry committee of the Bogura-1 constituency. Later, chairman of the inquiry committee and Joint District and Sessions Judge of Bogura Shahnaz Parveen issued a notice to the Additional Commissioner of police.
The notice accused him of abusing his administrative power by using government vehicles for election campaigning, thus violating professional conduct rules and the Rules of Conduct of Political Parties and Candidates in Parliamentary Elections-2008.
Hamidul Alam had taken a month's leave from his government job to actively campaign in the constituency for his wife.
