The advisory council claimed that it has implemented the entire package proposal finalised 16 days ago although the proposals also included sending of Election Commissioner Modabbir Hossain Chowdhury on leave and appointment of new election commissioners to recast the EC.

The council of advisers also decided not to appoint any new election commissioner although its package proposal had a deal in this regard.

Upon hearing about the latest changes, the Awami League (AL) led grand alliance rejected them, sources said.

A delegation of the AL-led grand alliance rushed to the EC yesterday afternoon and rejected the new timetable for the ninth parliamentary election, demanding announcement of election schedule after properly correcting the voter list first.

The grand electoral alliance--consisting of the AL-led 14-party alliance, Jatiya Party (Ershad), Liberal Democratic Party, a faction of Islami Oikya Jote, and Islami Oikya Front--will clarify its stance on the over-all situation today.

Sources said the Bangabhaban communicated with Zakaria yesterday afternoon and informed him of the advisory council's decision.

In line with the request of the council of advisers, the EC rescheduled the next election by extending the deadline for filing nomination papers by three days up to December 24. Today was the deadline in the earlier schedule.

The dates for other stages of the election were also re-fixed. In the new timetable, the date for scrutiny of nomination papers is December 28 and the date for withdrawal of candidature is January 3. The previous deadlines were December 22 and 28.

The polling date, however, remains the same--January 22. The EC has to complete the election by January 25, the last day of the constitutionally stipulated 90-day period for holding election.

EC Secretary Abdur Rashid Sarkar disclosed the new polls schedule yesterday afternoon through a gazette notification. He said the EC rescheduled the official polls plan to ensure participation of all political parties in the election.

Following these latest developments towards resolving the existing political deadlock, the council of advisers hoped that all political parties will now participate in the election.

"The council of advisers has now implemented the entire agreed package proposal and hoped that the decision will be acceptable to all. We also hope that all political parties will now participate in the election process," Information Adviser Mahbubul Alam told reporters after a meeting of the advisers yesterday afternoon.

On voter list correction, he said the electoral roll can be updated up to the day before election and the lists will be available at the district election offices for correction.

The advisers' meeting came up with the changes after three days' negotiation with the two major political alliances led by the BNP and AL to resolve the political deadlock arising out of a face off between them.

The BNP-led four-party alliance has been demanding holding of the election under the current schedule while the AL-led grand alliance has been asking for a new schedule after properly correcting the voter list and creating an atmosphere for holding a free and fair election.

Talking to The Daily Star yesterday, Adviser Shafiqual Haque Choudhury said they are satisfied with the new decisions and hoped the political deadlock will be resolved. "We took the decision in consulting with the major political parties," he said.

The delegation of AL-led grand alliance, however, said the EC did not consult with it.

"The Election Commission has taken the decision for holding the election in line with a blueprint. We do not agree with the new timetable," M Mokammel Haque, member of the AL advisory council who headed the delegation, told reporters.

Meanwhile, an adviser told The Daily Star requesting anonymity that yesterday's meeting of the advisers' council did not discuss the other issues of the package proposal.

EC RECAST
Information Adviser Mahbubul Alam said, "The council of advisers unanimously decided to request Election Commissioner SM Zakaria to go on leave of absence." Although Mahbub said Zakaria "will not be in office during the election", he did not make it clear when Zakaria will go on leave.

Another adviser and the EC secretary also told The Daily Star last night that they do not know anything about it.

The information adviser also avoided the question if they took any decision on the other election commissioner, Modabbir, who aspired to be a four-party alliance candidate from Habiganj-2 constituency before his appointment in the EC on November 27.

It took the council of advisers 16 days to implement its proposal partly as President and Chief Adviser Iajuddin Ahmed had suddenly opposed the move to send Zakaria on leave of absence.

Coincidentally, the BNP-led alliance, which had earlier agreed to the proposals, also changed its stance over the Zakaria issue.

Finding the president's differences of opinions with them on implementation of the package proposal, four advisers resigned on December 11.

Later at a meeting of the advisers' council on December 13, however, Iajuddin gave consent to sending Zakaria and Modabbir on leave.

"If both the parties [the AL and BNP] agree, the president will request Election Commissioners Zakaria and Modabbir to go on leave. I believe they will agree to go on leave if both the parties reach a consensus," the president's adviser quoted Iajuddin as telling the US ambassador earlier.

Resigning adviser Hasan Mashhud Chowdhury told the media that the president had himself informed them that he would send Election Commissioner Modabbir on leave of absence as his appointment in the commission triggered enormous controversy.

But the council of advisers retreated from its original package proposal and yesterday took decision only on Zakaria.

Adviser Shafiqual, who was involved in the negotiation with the two political alliances, however, claimed that he was not aware of the content of the original package proposal.

"So far as I knew, sending one election commissioner on leave was in the agenda," he told The Daily Star, adding, "We are now satisfied that we have taken the decision."

Zakaria, who left office at 5:30pm, declined to make any comment on the decision.

GRAND ALLIANCE'S DEMANDS
The three-member delegation of the AL-led grand alliance placed its demands before the EC secretary.

"We have demanded announcement of a new schedule after properly correcting the voter list," said M Mokammel Haque.

In reply to a question, he said, "We [the grand alliance] of course want to participate in the election but there is no environment at present for a free and fair election.

"The Election Commission did not discuss with us before announcing the poll schedule," he said, demanding declaration of a fresh schedule after consulting with all political parties.

"It is better to hold the election late than to hold a controversial election," Mokammel said.

A three-member delegation of Jatiya Party (Manju) led by General Secretary Sheikh Shahidul Islam also met EC Secretary Sarkar yesterday afternoon and placed a set of demands. Their demands include preparation of a flawless voter list and ensuring a level playing field for a free and fair election.