The Workers Party of Bangladesh on Tuesday recommended that the Election Commission should introduce electronic voting machine in phases through an effective campaign so as to earn people's confidence in the system.
'We are recommending introduction of EVM at some specific polling centres along with the traditional ballot papers in all parliamentary constituencies in next general elections,' Rashed Khan Menon, president of Workers Party, said at the dialogue with the Election Commission.
The National Awami Party (NAP), in a separate dialogue earlier in the day, accepted the commission's move to introduce the EVM in next elections. The NAP agreed to most of the proposals of the Election Commission.
The EC is currently holding a series of dialogues with the political parties on electoral laws reforms.
The Workers Party opposed the EC's proposal to empower armed forces in election duties to arrest anybody without warrant in a 400-yard radius around the polling stations on the election day. 'Army can be engaged in the election duty in aid of civil authorities, but it would not be wise to include armed forces in the definition of law enforcement agencies,' Menon added.
About the proposed Delimitation of Constituencies Act 2011, the Workers Party said the areas of parliamentary constituencies under the jurisdiction of Dhaka City Corporation should remain as they were. The EC proposed to bring down the number of constituencies in the DCC area to 10 from 15.
Both Workers Party and NAP agreed to the EC's draft bills on election commissioners' appointment with modifications. The Workers Party suggested forming of a constitutional council comprising the prime minister, speaker of Jatiya Sangsad, leader of the opposition in parliament, chief justice and attorney general for appointment of election commissioners.
The parties suggested that the eligible registered political parties should be supplied with election materials like posters, leaflets and banners by the government instead of funds for contesting parliamentary polls.
Anisur Rahman Mollick, general secretary of Worker Party and Enamul Haque, general secretary of NAP presented their respective parties' views at the dialogue.
The chief election commissioner, ATM Shamsul Huda, at the talks said smaller political parties should grow stronger for the sake of multiparty democracy.
'We seem to have been sandwiched between two large parties and many small parties are struggling for survival in their shadows. We are trying to help the small parties get out of the situation,' the CEC said while exchanging views with NAP.
He said the Election Commission had been working independently and neutrally without influence from the government. Election commissioners M Sohul Hussain and M Sakhawat Hossain and EC secretary were present.
Source: New Age
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