Dhaka desk: In a major political development, the Awami League yesterday tabled a proposal for limiting the jurisdiction of the election-time government to only carrying out routine job as had been the practice during the nonpartisan caretaker governments in the past.
As part of its 11-point proposal, the ruling party also recommended empowering the Election Commission with supervising authority over the administration, law enforcement agencies and all other departments engaged in the election process.
An AL delegation led by party chief and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina placed the proposals to President Abdul Hamid during the talks, initiated by the president on the formation of the new EC.
The AL noted that these proposals are “very important for holding a free, fair and neutral election”.
AL General Secretary Obaidul Quader later briefed journalists at the party's Dhanmondi office about the proposals.
Political analysts were quick to laud the proposals as “a breakthrough to the prevailing political situation”.
Former Election Commissioner Brig Gen (retd) M Sakhawat Hussein said the proposals, if implemented, would create a check and balance.
“Since Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina placed the proposals herself, it indicates that she wants to do it. It is a positive move and it should be done,” he told The Daily Star.
Eminent jurist Shahdeen Malik said, “It is a clear sign that the Awami League is willing to move away from the notion of a political government to a more neutral government during elections.”
But BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said it would be difficult to keep the EC neutral without a nonpartisan government.
The big question is whether the AL really wants to implement those properly and without any ill motives, he said. “In the past, the Awami League took absolute control over the Election Commission.”
The nonpartisan caretaker government system, which had been introduced in the constitution in 1996 as an interim administration to oversee national elections, had only limited power.
It could carry out routine work but was constitutionally barred from making any policy decision. Its main function was to provide the EC with all assistance to hold free and fair polls.
But the system was scrapped in 2011, sparking a political turmoil.
Presently, the constitution allows the party in power to remain in office during the elections and to exercise full authority.
In line with the constitutional amendment, the AL was in power during the January 2014 election, which the BNP-led alliance vehemently opposed and boycotted.
The BNP and its allies still seem reluctant to run in any election under Hasina-led administration and want some sort of a nonpolitical government. The AL insists the system will not return.
The AL's proposals for empowering the EC and capping the overwhelming power of a political government come against such a backdrop.
And like the BNP and other political parties that held talks with the president over the past three weeks, the AL stayed focused on the formation of the new EC.
In the absence of a nonpartisan caretaker government, the role of the EC is crucial for holding free and fair elections, analysts say.
At the talks, Hasina said that, if possible, a suitable law or an ordinance can be promulgated for appointing the chief election commissioner and other election commissioners.
“If this cannot be done right now due to time constraints, steps need to be taken to make a law for the formation of future election commissions,” President's Press Secretary Joynal Abedin quoted Hasina as saying.
The PM also said the president would appoint the CEC and other ECs in line with the process he thought fit, Joynal told reporters after the talks.
She also said her party had full confidence and trust in the wisdom of the president and that the AL would extend its full support to any right steps the president would take to constitute the EC, said a press release by the Bangabhaban.
The AL does not want any controversies over future commissions, she said, adding that whichever party voted to power by the people will run the country, she said.
The ruling party also proposed introducing e-voting in the next general elections due in 2019.
In the meeting, the president said the role of the EC was very important and hoped that it would be possible to form a strong EC with cooperation from all political parties.
The president's move to hold talks with political parties came after BNP chief Khaleda Zia's proposal for constituting the new EC through consensus among political parties.
The talks opened on December 18 and so far the president held discussions with 23 political parties.
The president may form a search committee to form the new EC as has been done by his predecessor late Zillur Rahman in 2012.
