Election Commissioner Mohammad Abu Hafiz on Sunday said lawmakers could participate in elections while keeping their offices as the MP position was non-profitable.
“There is no need to go to the court. There is no bar for MPs to participate in parliamentary elections as the High Court delivered a verdict that the post of MP is non-profitable,” he told reporters at the EC Secretariat in the capital.
He said the EC was trying to collect the copy of the verdict.
However, two election commissioners Abdul Mobarak and Md Shah Newaz had earlier said the post of MP was profitable and the commission would go to court to get its view about the matter.
Commissioner Hafiz said the EC would keep equal scope for all parties while preparing the electoral code of conduct.
“The commission would prepare similarly strict electoral code of conduct for those who are in the government and those who are not, if parliament remains active during the polls.”
Hafiz also said democracy and level playing field could not be ensured by formulating laws, but it was a matter of exercise. There would be no problem if democracy and law were exercised properly, he added.
The commissioner informed that the EC was examining the electoral code of conduct for the United Kingdom, Australia, India and Malaysia. The electoral code of conduct for India could get more preference, considering the similarities of political culture and tradition between the two countries, he said.
About the preparation of the next general elections, Hafiz said a lot of work had already been completed, including the amendment to electoral laws, updating the voter list, and re-fixing of parliamentary delimitation.
Saying the EC would change the electoral code of conduct before announcing the polls schedule, the commissioner expressed hopes that all political parties would reach a consensus before the polls.
However, Hafiz said the EC was still unsure of sitting with political parties before the polls, which is due between October 27 and January 24 next year.
The current parliament and cabinet will continue during the elections following, what the government says, the 15th amendment to the constitution.
