The hype over the recent appointment of the new Election Commission is still fresh in everyone’s memory.
It was quite apparent from the responses and retorts of the major political parties that they regarded the EC almost as the absolute guarantor to credible elections.
The president, having sensed the intensity of the issue, called the political parties for consultation and formed a search committee to find out the most suitable candidates.
Although no one can deny that the EC has a pivotal role in organising credible elections, it is but one among many other stake-holders involved in an election.
Apart from the EC, there are the government, political organisations, the election candidates, the media, civil society, and the electorate -- all have their respective roles to play in realising a credible election.
A credible election requires not only participation of all the stake-holders in the electoral process, but also their meaningful and appropriate participation.
For instance, as the holder of police power, the government should make sure that every other stake-holder involved in an election plays its role in fair and lawful manner.
It should also render all kinds of assistance to the EC to create a level playing field.
As for the political organisations, they will have to make right nominations for election. It is also largely up to the political organisations to maintain an atmosphere conducive for elections so that the electorate can exercise their voting right freely.
The candidates should be respectful of each other and accept the result of the election.
The media should impartially disseminate information about the electoral process as well as the stake-holders involved, so as to help the electorate make informed choices.
And finally, the electorate should be able to vote free from fear and favour; and choose their representatives in informed manner.
To be practical, without full co-operation from all other stake-holders, the task of organising a free, fair, and participatory election by the EC alone is simply impossible
The electorate must be aware of who they are voting for and why they are voting.
While a bad EC can be the worst nightmare for democracy, the failure of other stake-holders to play their respective appropriate roles in an election can be no less harmful. In any election scenario, a good EC amid other not-so-good stake-holders would be like that righteous referee in a football match, where both teams are up for any means to win the game and still get support from the spectators, the club officials, the professional analysts, the sports reporters, the sportswriters, the sportscasters, and above all, the organisers.
It does not take much effort to realise that in such a situation, no one is as unwelcome as the righteous referee who wants to conduct the match fairly and squarely as per the rules of game.
The aforementioned example makes the point clear that the cry for a good EC should be preceded by the commitment of all concerned to a free, fair, and participatory election, just like the cry for a good referee should be preceded by the commitment to play by the rules.
That being said, many will agree that like the competing teams in a football match, the political organisations, be it the party in power or the oppositions, are the most crucial stake-holders among all others in an election scenario.
They are the most crucial actors in the sense that elections are meant for the political organisations to participate.
In multi-party democracies, more often than not, voters take into consideration what the political parties have got to say even before they get down to decide on their proposed representatives.
Hence, without meaningful participation of the political organisations, a meaningful election is utterly inconceivable.
The political organisations are also the strongest stake-holders, because they are in constant dialogue with all the stake-holders, and that they have the capability to form public opinion through dialogue and to mobilise the people as well as the state machinery if necessary.
Now, it is important to bear in mind that the legitimacy of an election depends first and foremost on the election’s own credibility, and a credible election means a free, fair, and participatory election in all respects -- the results of which reflect the actual public opinion.
In other words, in order to realise a free, fair, and participatory election, each of the stake-holders, for instance, the EC, the government, the political organisations, the election candidates, the media, the civil society, the electorate, etc should be able to play its respective role freely, fairly, and in participatory manner without interfering in other’s domain.
To be practical, without full co-operation from all of other stake-holders, the task of organising a free, fair, and participatory election by the EC alone is simply impossible.
Undoubtedly, such co-operation requires an atmosphere of trust and reliance among all the stake-holders involved in an election.
Otherwise, none of them will be able to play their respective roles appropriately, the aggregate resultant effect of which will only downplay the EC as an institution.
It may be recalled that although the political parties in Bangladesh once agreed on the system of interim caretaker government as key to free and fair elections, it became redundant soon since the major political parties were divided in their opinion as to its usefulness.
In fact, the major political parties in Bangladesh have displayed differences in relation to election matters over the years.
In this regard, it wouldn’t be out of place to argue that the political organisations, being the most influential actors, have a greater responsibility than anyone else.
Kawser Ahmed is an Advocate, Supreme Court of Bangladesh.
