Election Commission has decided to announce the polls schedule for the next parliamentary elections without holding any dialogue with the registered political parties.
EC officials think that it will be pointless as the two major alliances hold antagonistic viewpoint on the polls-time government.
If the commission holds dialogue BNP-led 18-party alliance will not possibly join the dialogue and it will be completely meaningless, EC officials said.
According to the EC roadmap, the commission is to sit with the registered political parties, civil society, senior journalists and non-government organisations before announcing the polls schedule.
It is not mandatory to sit with political parties before announcing the polls schedule.
Election Commissioner Zabed Ali said the commission had no plans now to sit with the parties before the next parliamentary elections.
“The EC is now working hard to hold the next parliamentary election in free, fair and impartial manner.”
Posing a question another Election Commissioner Md Shah Newaz said: “How can the commission hold dialogue with the political parties? If any political party does not come after the invitation of the EC, bad message will be sent to people.”
The EC would not take the risk of holding dialogue, said the commissioner, with the political parties under the present situation.
“The commission will upload the draft electoral code of conduct on its website. Political parties and citizens can send their opinions and suggestions on it.”
When asked, former election commissioner M Sakhawat Hussain responded with an opposite view: “It would be suicidal decision for EC not to hold dialogues. The previous commission held dialogue three times with the political parties on the election and electoral laws.”
He, however, also deemed that the present situation is not appropriate for holding dialogue. The EC was needed to do it with its main stake holders earlier.
A senior EC official said there was no situation prevailing to hold dialogue with the political parties right now as the country’s two major political parties are at loggerheads on the polls-time government.
“The commission is now busy with the preparation of holding the next parliamentary elections as per the constitution.”
Earlier, all election commissioners including the chief election commissioner said the EC would sit with political parties, if needed.
According to the constitution, the next parliamentary election must be held by January 24.
Meanwhile, the incumbent EC held dialogue with the political parties, civil society and senior journalists on the delimitation of parliamentary constituencies and updating voter list from November 26 to December 6 in 2012.
But the main opposition BNP and its allies did not participate in the EC’s dialogue.
