Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmad on Wednesday said the EC will take action as per the Representation of the People Order (RPO) against anyone including the prime minister who violates the electoral code of conduct during the upcoming parliamentary election.
“If anyone violates the codes during the election period [after the polls schedule is announced], the commission will take actions as per [articles 73-79 that stipulate jail term and fines] of the RPO,” he told reporters after a meeting at the EC Secretariat.
The commission on Wednesday finalised the draft electoral code of conduct applicable for political parties and candidates during the elections.
The draft will be uploaded on the EC’s website by next Sunday, seeking opinion from all including the stakeholders. The commission will then finalise the codes.
As per section 91E of the RPO, the commission holds the authority to cancel the candidacy of anyone for violating electoral codes.
The CEC said the election-time government will not take any policymaking or long-term decision after the announcement of the polls schedule until the publishing of the results through gazette notification.
About the definition of “pre-election period,” Rakibuddin said the commission had defined it in a new way for applying the electoral codes smoothly.
Earlier, the three month-long period of caretaker government was termed “pre-election period.”
Since the elections will be held under a partisan government for the first time, the commission has put restriction on government beneficiaries including the prime minister and the leader of the opposition.
According to the draft codes, the prime minister, the leader of the opposition, the speaker, ministers, the deputy speaker, state ministers, chief whip, whips, MPs and mayors of city corporations are mentioned as important persons who enjoy government facilities.
“But they will not be able to get any government facilities for holding election campaigns and political meetings during the election time,” Rakibuddin said, adding that they could just conduct their routine works.
Moreover, as per the RPO, the polls-time government will take decision during the election period only after discussing with the EC.
There has been no scope to get government facilities for holding campaigns in the by-elections. “This provision will be applicable for the next parliamentary polls too,” the CEC said.
Asked if the polls could be held after January 24, he said: “If the two parties agree over the issue, then we will hold the polls whatever way they want us to.”
The comment came amid differences between the two key political parties over the election-time government.
The first session of the ninth parliament began on January 25, 2009 and hence, its tenure will end on January 24 next year. For holding the election as per the constitution, the 90-day countdown began on October 27.
The CEC also said the commission will announce the polls schedule keeping 45-50 days on its hand. All parties will get equal time for election preparation.
The parties and candidates will be able to begin election campaign just after announcement of the polls schedule, he added.
