The Election Commission must ditch its plan to use electronic voting machines (EVMs) in one-third of the country’s 300 constituencies in the upcoming parliamentary election, an alliance of left-leaning political parties said on Wednesday.
Leaders from the Left Democratic Alliance (LDA) - which includes the Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB), Bangladesh Workers' Party and GonosanghatiAndalon - also demanded the formation of a non-political election-time government, reports UNB.
"We want a free and fair election under a neutral polls-time caretaker government as the country's history says that elections held by a political administration were never free and fair," CPB President Mujahidul Islam Selim told a press conference held at Maitri Auditorium of Mukti Bhaban in Dhaka.
The LDA leaders also demanded the dissolution of the incumbent government and the parliament and reconstruction of the Election Commission before the announcement of the election schedule.
“The constitution should be amended to ensure a neutral election-time government; otherwise, the country will fall into a deep crisis,” the CPB president said.
Selim claimed the government was directing the Election Commission to use the EVMs so that it can “manipulate” the election results.
He urged the government to drop the plan as the EVMs were not transparent enough and acceptable to many political parties.
The alliance’s Coordinator Saiful Haq at the press briefing also announced their future programs, including seminar, discussions and rallies, for September and October.
