Civil society asks EC to arrange fear-free polls

Staff Correspondent: After joining the Election Commission’s maiden dialogue on Monday, civil society members suggested the commission not to talk about the supportive government during the next general election.

The civil society members also suggested the commission to earn people’s trust through making their activities visible as an independent body.

Most of the civil society members recommended the commission to take proper initiatives for ensuring the participation of all political parties in the next election and removing the fear of voters.

Election expert Tofail Ahmed said most of the civil society members urged the commission to engage army in the polls so that voters can exercise the right to cast their votes without fear.

He also said they hope the dialogue will be a successful one as the commission is getting various effective suggestions from the dialogue.

‘Almost all of the participants in the dialogue urged the commission to earn public confidence so that their strong and independent role as a statuary body can be visible,’ said distinguished CPD fellow Dr Debapriya Bhattacharya.

Emerging from the dialogue, Debapriya said they also suggested the commission to take proper steps so that administrative officials can play a neutral role in the election.

The dialogue began on Monday morning with the participation of some 30 civil society members at the conference room of Nirbachon Bhaban in the city with Chief Election Commissioner KM Nurul Huda in the chair.

The Election Commission (EC) started its dialogue with civil society members to take their opinions over the arrangements to hold the 11th national election.

risingbd/Dhaka/July 31, 2017/Hasibul/Amirul