Electoral Reform Commission Chairman Professor Tofail Ahmed has assured that the commission is determined to submit its report to the government by February 24, 2025.
He said that the commission is progressing as planned and expects to study and evaluate all the collected opinions by January 16, while the survey report is expected to be finalized by January 31.
According to him, the report is scheduled for submission within 90 days of the gazette issued on November 24, 2024, barring any major disruptions.
Highlighting the importance of reforms, Prof Tofail said: “Going to the polls without making minimum reforms after submitting the reform report is like putting the cart before the horse.”
The official gazette for the formation of the commission was published on November 18, 2024.
However, full-scale operations began on December 5, 2024, after completing the recruitment of manpower and establishing an office.
The commission had earlier held an introductory meeting on November 19, followed by a second meeting on November 24.
The commission is actively gathering opinions from all levels of society, including political parties, divisions, districts, upazilas, and unions, on various local government issues.
The process involves direct opinion exchanges, online feedback collection, and a nationwide survey conducted by the National Bureau of Statistics.
These efforts have revealed several pressing issues, such as problems related to salaries and allowances of employees at various levels, power imbalances between members and chairpersons, and instances of irregularities and corruption.
Additionally, the commission has received a range of recommendations, including determining academic qualifications for members, councilors, and mayors, abolishing the use of party symbols in local elections, and reducing interference from Members of Parliament (MPs) in local polls.
Opinions on the parliamentary versus presidential systems of governance, unified local government laws, simplifying election procedures, and addressing financial corruption and nomination trading during elections were also collected.
Some recommendations even touched on whether local polls should precede national elections or be held simultaneously.
Prof. Tofail clarified that the commission does not intend to make any decision or observation regarding the timing of national and local elections, saying that such matters fall under the jurisdiction of the government and the Election Commission.
However, he said that they may seek input from political and civil society on these issues.
The report will focus on reforms related to the local government election system and processes, as applicable.
Prof Tofail emphasized that the commission aims to ensure meaningful reforms are implemented to strengthen the local government system and address existing challenges effectively.
