Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Habibul Awal on Monday said the power of the Election Commission has been increased but not reduced through the amendment to the Representation of the People Order (RPO).
Immediately after the RPO amendment was published in the form of gazette on Monday, the CEC came up with this remark during a briefing held at the Election Commission office at Agargaon.
At the briefing, the CEC highlighted the commission's current position saying, "The power of the Election Commission has increased and consolidated."
The bill, which was passed in the Parliament on July 4, states that the key amendment authorises the EC to postpone or cancel results or voting of one or more polling stations in any number of constituencies on polling day, but not the entire election in a constituency.
The EC holds the power to stop publication of the gazette in some of the centres
concerned after investigating any allegation of irregularities after polls.
Besides, the CEC also criticised statements implying that the EC's power has been
"diminished" and said, no powers of the EC have been revoked over the shutting down of polls.
"People are being misled over a legislative amendment. The Election Commission
is being humiliated," he said.
As per the new provision of the RPO-- the law that governs elections in
Bangladesh-- the EC has been empowered to postpone or cancel the result of one
or more than one polling stations at any time during balloting (polling day) or ballot counting, in case of using muscle power or any other reason.
But there is no provision of cancelling the entire election in a constituency in the
proposed law- as done during the Gaibandha-5 by-election last October.
As per the amended RPO, the EC can appoint a returning officer for one or more
constituencies. It has been made constituency-based also, whereas it was
previously district-based.The changes will be effective for the next parliamentary elections due by January 2024.
