The Election Commission is looking for a “model code of conduct” to ensure a “level playing field” for all candidates in the upcoming national elections.
Officials said the EC had already started analysing electoral methods followed in the United Kingdom, the United States and India.
They said these countries have the strongest parliamentary democracies in the world.
The officials also said the commission was planning to prepare an “improved” code of conduct within a month, even if the political parties fail to reach a consensus regarding the shape of the polls-time government anytime soon.
The concerned departments of the commission have already been directed to prepare a draft code of conduct after having analysed and taking inputs from the electoral methods followed in the UK, US and India.
Election Commissioner Zabed Ali said: “The EC wants to ensure level playing field for all parties in the next general elections, just like the way it is done in the UK, US and India by interim polls-time governments.”
EC officials said the commission would have to bring drastic changes to the existing code of conduct if it was to hold the next elections according to the constitution.
They said the mechanisms in the existing code were meant to work under a non-partisan caretaker government, and would probably not be as affective in ensuring equality under a partisan government.
In India, national elections are held under interim governments which are not necessarily non-partisan because ministers and members of parliament continue to hold their posts.
However, the Election Commission of India – powerful as it is – does not allow candidates of the ruling party to use state facilities or protocols during polls-time.
EC officials said that was how the Indian commission made certain all candidates were standing on an equal footing before going into the polls. They also said under the existing code of conduct in Bangladesh, ensuring that would not be possible.
Historically, ruling parties have always won polls held under partisan governments in Bangladesh. Many of those elections have been marred by allegations of vote-rigging and manipulation in favour of the ruling party candidates.
Observers say there is no such provision in the existing code of conduct that may bar the ministers and ruling party MPs from using state protocols and facilities during elections under partisan governments. They say the code allows them to use the administration in their favour during polls.
However, convincing the political parties with efforts to ensure a level playing field would always be hard for the EC, officials said, because of the prevalent political culture in the country. The political parties do not nurture mutual trust and would therefore always fear vote-rigging against them.
In some of the recently concluded polls in five city corporations, the parties that won did not stop complaining until they were sure about the win.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has made it clear many times that the next elections will be held under a partisan government. She said her cabinet would continue holding office during the election period but would not make any policy decision. Although the parliament would not be dissolved, it would not have any session.
However, the BNP has never welcomed the Supreme Court verdict that abolished the system of a non-partisan caretaker government in 2011.
With all the leading political parties having already drummed up electioneering, the main opposition party has been complaining that the ruling party leaders, including the premier, have been using state facility and protocol for their campaigns.
BNP has also made clear that there must be a level playing field before they could go into the polls.
According to the constitution, the next general elections must be held between October 27, 2013 and January 24, 2014.
