Real power of Election Commission taken away: Platform for Democracy

Leaders of the Platform for Democracy addressing a news conference in Dhaka on Saturday. Photo by courtesy

Addressing a press conference at the central office of the State Reform Movement at 11 am on Saturday, July 8, 2023, the central leaders of the Platform for Democracy said that a new amendment to the Representation of the People Order (RPO) has been brought as per the blueprint for holding another rigged election. Through the new amendment of the RPO, the main power of the Election Commission to cancel the election has been taken away and the Commission has been turned into an ineffective body. This amendment will pave the way for electoral turf of the government and the ruling party.

Saiful Haque, general secretary of Biplobi Workers Party, presented a written statement on behalf of the Platform for Democracy at the press conference.  Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD) President ASM Abdur Rob, Nagorik Oikya President Mahmudur Rahman Manna, Ganasanghati Andolan Chief Coordinator Zonaid Saki, Bhasani Followers Council Convener Sheikh Rafiqul Islam Bablu and State Reform Movement's Media Affairs Coordinator Hasib Uddin Hossain also spoke at the press conference. 

Nagorik Oikya General Secretary Shahidullah Kayser, Revolutionary Workers Party Political Council Member Akbar Khan, Ganasanghati Andolan's Editorial Board Member Bachchu Bhuiyan, State Reform Movement Organizing Secretary Imran Emon, among others, were present.

In his written statement at the press conference, Saiful Huq said that through the amendment of the Representation of the People Order (RPO), the power of the Election Commission to stop the voting due to any irregularities has been taken away in practice. According to RPO section 91(a), if the Election Commission feels that it will not be able to hold free and fair elections legally, then it can stop voting at any stage of the election. That is, if the situation was not favorable for a fair election, the Election Commission could have stopped the election before the election. Now, by limiting this power, it can only postpone the voting in a few constituencies of a parliamentary constituency on the day of polling, not the entire parliamentary constituency.

He said section 91(a) of the RPO was the real power of the Election Commission to conduct a fair election. The amendment has been brought to give additional benefits to the ruling Awami League by passing the Amendment of the Representation of the People Order (RPO) and to strengthen the control of the ruling party in the national elections.

At the press conference, the coordinator of the platform said that while the entire electoral system of the country has been broken and the government in power is preparing for another arranged unilateral election, it is also clear that reducing the power of the Election Commission to cancel the election is completely malicious. It is also very clear that this amendment has been brought to implement the blueprint of the government and the ruling party ahead of the next 12th parliamentary elections. 

And the manner in which the Election Commission has unnecessarily introduced amendments to reduce its powers and paved the way for vote rigging by the ruling party is surprising and objectionable. He said the next parliamentary elections are risky in many ways due to the ruling party's desire to hold another one-sided election. This amendment to the RPO has increased this risk.  This amendment of the IPO is also against the constitutional responsibility of the Election Commission to conduct fair elections. Through this, the hands and feet of the Election Commission were tied.

Saiful Haque said that according to the RPO section, earlier the candidates were obliged to pay all the outstanding bills seven days before submitting nomination papers. Now the outstanding bills of microcredit, telephone, gas, electricity, water can be submitted a day in advance. This will further increase the number of defaulters and bill defaulters in the elections. For these reasons, this amendment is not acceptable in any way.

At the press conference, ASM Abdur Rab said that the people of the country do not trust this vote-rigging government anymore. We can't even get the right to vote without bidding them farewell.

Mahmudur Rahman Manna said the RPO amendment was brought to steal another vote. No strategy will save the government this time.

Zonaid Saki said the amendment would give a new look to the government's electoral woes. Even if all the centres are rigged, they will want to show that the election was fair by cancelling the votes in some centres. 

Sheikh Rafiqul Islam Bablu said this government will not be allowed to hold another mockery election. This government will soon be ousted through agitation.

Hasib Uddin Hossain said the RPO amendment was brought to control the national election on behalf of the ruling party. "We will ensure the victory of the people by stopping all conspiracies through movement," he said. - Press release