Cabinet clears draft law for formation of Election Commission
Cabinet Secretary says they hope the bill can be tabled during the ongoing parliament session
File photo shows a general view of the Election Commission offices in Dhaka's Agargaon Mehedi Hasan/Dhaka Tribune
Tribune Report
Publish : 17 Jan 2022, 02:44 PMUpdate : 17 Jan 2022, 04:46 PM
The government has given its greenlight to the draft of a new law for the formation of a new Election Commission stipulating the criteria for appointing commissioners.
The final approval for the proposed law came from the weekly cabinet meeting on Monday.
Briefing the media after the meeting, Cabinet Secretary Khandker Anwarul Islam said that the move came in light of President Abdul Hamid’s talks with political parties over the forming of a new commission.
Most of the political parties have spoken in favour of introducing a new during their talks at the Bangabhaban.
A delegation of the ruling Awami League headed by its chief Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is scheduled for talks with President Hamid Monday afternoon.
As per the proposed law, a search committee will be formed taking approval from the president over the constitution of the Election Commission, Cabinet Secretary Islam said.
“The search committee will recommend the names of suitable candidates before the President to appoint the CEC and other election commissioners,” he added.
According to the draft law, Bangladeshi citizens, aged at least 50, with an experience in serving at government services, autonomous bodies or the judiciary for at least 20 years will be eligible for appointed as the chief election commissioner and commissioners.
Individuals declared insane or bankrupt by the court, sentenced two years in jail for moral turpitude and convicted by the International Crimes Tribunal will not be eligible for appointment as commissioners.
The draft law “Appointment of Chief Election Commissioner and Election Commissioners Act 2022” will be forwarded to the law ministry for vetting, he said before adding he hope that the bill can be tabled during the ongoing parliament session.
“This is a small law. It would take the law ministry a day or two to clear, which will be then forwarded to the parliamentary standing committee for its clearance. It can be placed during this session, if everything is done on time” said the cabinet secretary.
"According to the 118 article of the Constitution, the president will appoint election commissioners and the chief election commissioner with the association of a search committee," he said.
During the Bangabhaban talks over a new EC, some political parties have proposed some names for the ‘search committee,’ but most of them said a search committee was ‘not required.’
The president opened talks with registered political parties to discuss their views on December 20. The Jatiya Party, the opposition in parliament, was the first political party to meet the president.
President Hamid had similarly appointed the outgoing election commissioners through a search committee after holding talks with the parties nearly five years ago.
The KM Nurul Huda-led commission’s term expires on February 14. The president has to appoint the new election commissioners before that deadline.
Cabinet clears draft law for formation of Election Commission
Cabinet Secretary says they hope the bill can be tabled during the ongoing parliament session
The government has given its greenlight to the draft of a new law for the formation of a new Election Commission stipulating the criteria for appointing commissioners.
The final approval for the proposed law came from the weekly cabinet meeting on Monday.
Briefing the media after the meeting, Cabinet Secretary Khandker Anwarul Islam said that the move came in light of President Abdul Hamid’s talks with political parties over the forming of a new commission.
Most of the political parties have spoken in favour of introducing a new during their talks at the Bangabhaban.
A delegation of the ruling Awami League headed by its chief Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is scheduled for talks with President Hamid Monday afternoon.
As per the proposed law, a search committee will be formed taking approval from the president over the constitution of the Election Commission, Cabinet Secretary Islam said.
“The search committee will recommend the names of suitable candidates before the President to appoint the CEC and other election commissioners,” he added.
According to the draft law, Bangladeshi citizens, aged at least 50, with an experience in serving at government services, autonomous bodies or the judiciary for at least 20 years will be eligible for appointed as the chief election commissioner and commissioners.
Individuals declared insane or bankrupt by the court, sentenced two years in jail for moral turpitude and convicted by the International Crimes Tribunal will not be eligible for appointment as commissioners.
The draft law “Appointment of Chief Election Commissioner and Election Commissioners Act 2022” will be forwarded to the law ministry for vetting, he said before adding he hope that the bill can be tabled during the ongoing parliament session.
“This is a small law. It would take the law ministry a day or two to clear, which will be then forwarded to the parliamentary standing committee for its clearance. It can be placed during this session, if everything is done on time” said the cabinet secretary.
"According to the 118 article of the Constitution, the president will appoint election commissioners and the chief election commissioner with the association of a search committee," he said.
During the Bangabhaban talks over a new EC, some political parties have proposed some names for the ‘search committee,’ but most of them said a search committee was ‘not required.’
The president opened talks with registered political parties to discuss their views on December 20. The Jatiya Party, the opposition in parliament, was the first political party to meet the president.
President Hamid had similarly appointed the outgoing election commissioners through a search committee after holding talks with the parties nearly five years ago.
The KM Nurul Huda-led commission’s term expires on February 14. The president has to appoint the new election commissioners before that deadline.