The Election Commission has been enjoying an increase in power to postpone or cancel polls of one or several centres anytime if irregularities are found as the amendments to the Representation of the People Order (RPO) approved by the cabinet.
However, the provision will not allow the authority to cancel or postpone the election of an entire constituency.
Election Commissioner Rashida Sultana made the remarks in response to questions of journalists at her office at the EC building on Sunday.
Rashida Sultana said: "The election commission has been given certain power. The EC can cancel the election if any irregularities or rigging are found.
"Although the EC has the power to cancel the vote before the announcement of the results, the commissioner will have no power after the announcement of the result," she added
The election commissioner said: "The power to cancel the vote during the election was not curtailed in the draft. The power to cancel an election during a vote remains as before. Besides adding the power to cancel results of one or more centres till publication of gazette.”
She said: "Many people got confused thinking that the power that was in 91(a), to stop the election during the polling, has probably been eroded, but that is not the case. As far as I understand, that will not happen. Because we don't want that. The proposal there is to add another sub-paragraph'. The power has been sought so that action can be taken in case of irregularities in the time between publication of the result by the returning officer and till it is gazetted."
In response to the question whether EC can stop voting like Gaibandha, she said: "As far as I understand we can."
In response to a question from the journalists, the election commissioner said: "Before we had no power, now the power has been increased to some extent. It would be better to have the power to cancel the whole election. Because, those who make irregularities have a fear that if the vote is cancelled, they will have to go through the same pressure again."