Daulatkhan Polls
EC worried as Bhola admin flouts order
Staff Correspondent
The Election Commission (EC) is worried as the district administration of Bhola has ignored an EC judgement that had asked the administration to ensure security for the opposition candidates in the ensuing election of Daulatkhan Municipality.The opposition party candidates in the January 31 polls are still feeling insecure due to threat and intimidation allegedly by the ruling party men. The district administration has not taken necessary measures to ensure their security. The EC on Monday asked the deputy commissioner and superintendent of police at Bhola to send report on the prevailing situation, sources said. "We are worried over the prevailing situation at Daulatkhan as reports of intimidation on the opposition candidates are being published in newspapers," Election Commissioner AK Mohammad Ali told The Daily Star on Tuesday. The election was scheduled for September 9 last year but the ruling BNP men did not allow any opposition man to submit nomination papers in the polls. The ruling party men were elected uncontested, without voting. The EC last month declared the polls null and void after an inquiry and a fresh date for the election was announced. In its judgement, the EC asked the local administration to take adequate measures for the security of the opposition candidates. The EC also stressed holding the polls in a free and fair manner. "It is not possible to hold a free and fair election as the law and order situation is deteriorating day by day," a local journalist yesterday told The Daily Star, wishing anonymity. Local journalists said the chairman and commissioner candidates backed by the main opposition Awami League are being intimidated by the ruling party men. "They are feeling insecure and cannot campaign for the polls," said another journalist. The EC, a quasi-judicial body, had scrapped the September 9 election results finding gross irregularities in the election process. It asked the police and local administration to take appropriate measures for the protection of candidates in the fresh polls. "Police and civil administration failed to control the situation and maintain the law and order which is necessary to hold free and fair election," said the EC judgement. But the opposition candidates said the situation is still uncongenial to hold a fair election as the EC directives are not being followed by the local administration.
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