Former chief election commissioner ATM Shamsul Huda said Thursday scrapping article 91E of the Representation of the People Order (RPO) would be like "immersing idols in water" as the Election Commission struggled hard for having it inserted back in 2008.
He said the previous election commissioners had struggled while trying to incorporate the article 91(E) in the RPO, but the present EC excluding it voluntarily, which will weaken the Election Commission (EC).
"Article 91E of the RPO was one of the major achievements in 2008 which had empowered EC to cancel candidature for gross violation of the electoral code of conduct. We had to change the schedule for the national polls five times to keep the articles in RPO as BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia would not agree with the provision. She was repeatedly denying to take part in the elections if the article 91E was included," he said.
"But, we were determined and finally the article was included. If the EC scraps the article now, it will be like shooting your own feet. It will be heartrending," he said.
Addressing the EC, he asked, "Why you people are scrapping the power that was gained through a war like situation with Khaleda [BNP chairperson]? I don't know what good is in it [the decision]."
The ex-CEC made the remarks while addressing a roundtable titled "Reform of electoral laws: where we stand" arranged by the Shushashoner Jonno Nagorik (Sujan) at the National Press Club.
With M Hafiz Uddin Khan, former adviser to the caretaker government in the chair, the roundtable was addressed by former Election Commissioner Brig Gen (retd) M Sakhawat Hossain, Columnist Syed Abul Moksud and others. Badiul Alam Majumdar, secretary of the group presented the keynote paper.
In the key-note paper, Badiul placed a seven-point proposal to amend the RPO, comprising, inclusion of defence forces in the list of law enforcement agencies, to reintroduce "no vote" and EC's authority to cancel candidature for violating the electoral code of conduct.
Sakhawat Hossain suggested reincorporating the provision of "No Vote." He also urged giving a scope to the army for playing a role during national elections.