Election Commissioner Brig Gen (retd) Ahsan Habib Khan has asked election officials to be polite while performing their duties but enforce the law strictly without any compromise.
"To conduct a free, fair and impartial election, we will work relying on Allah and our conscience, nothing else," the election commissioner said on Tuesday during his visit to Barisal ahead of the upcoming Barisal City Corporation polls.
After meeting with election officials in the deputy commissioner's conference room he said: "There was no complaint about the use of EVMs in 600 of the 700 centres in the previous elections. So this time also they will be used in the BCC election."
There is a chance of irregularities in ballot-based elections, the election commissioner said, claiming that it is not possible to rig the votes through EVMs. Due to this, no one went to court with complaints about the use of EVMs in the previous elections.
He also said: "Using EVMs in elections is a symbol of transparency, but I do not understand why there is a misconception that anyone can do anything with EVMs."
Regarding the use of motorcycles by journalists, he said he is trying to find a solution by discussing the issue with newspaper editors and journalists.
"As I always say, the media is our eyes and ears, so I will ensure free movement of media personnel. But it is not appropriate to broadcast live from polling booths."
Regarding the directive that no journalist will be allowed to stay in a polling booth for more than 10 minutes, he said: "If a lot of journalists enter the election centre and voting room at the same time, how would they perform duties properly?"