"The chief election commissioner himself is preparing the proposals that will be sent to the government to make laws. The future appointments will be better if the law can be made, specifying a set of criteria for the appointments," Election Commissioner Sahul Hossain told reporters at his office yesterday.

The law has not been formulated during the 35 years since the constitution was framed in 1972.

On the formation of the EC, the constitution says, "... the appointment of the CEC and other election commissioners (if any) shall, subject to the provisions of any law made in that behalf, be made by the President."

In recent times, the appointment of Justice MA Aziz to the post of CEC and former EC secretary SM Zakaria and former police chief Modabbir Hossain Chowdhury as election commissioners triggered huge controversy, leading to a political crisis that contributed to postponement of the parliamentary election scheduled for January 22.

CEC Aziz and all the election commissioners resigned following the declaration of the state of emergency on January 11.

"Had there been a law regarding the appointment, there could have been a board or council to scrutinise the tentative candidates [for the appointment to the post of the chief election commissioner or an election commissioner]. If done through scrutiny, the appointments could have been better," the election commissioner said.

"In absence of the law, the governments have appointed persons as per their choice," Sahul said, adding, "We have discussed it and moved for making a law. The future appointments will be better on the basis of the law if we can make it."

About the preparation of voter list with photographs, he said the field level task for electoral rolls will begin in Rajshahi City Corporation area in the next month. Tenure of the Rajshahi City Corporation office bearers has expired. Election to the city corporation can be held if the electoral roll with photographs is completed, Sahul said.

He said the task for electoral roll with photographs will begin in Khulna City Corporation area after completion of the task in Rajshahi city.

CEC ATM Shamsul Huda yesterday made a sudden visit to Sripur municipality to see the progress of the pilot project for simultaneously preparing the voter list with photographs and national identity cards.

He visited a few voter registration centres and exchanged views with the people who went to register their names in the voter list.

"The future of the country's democracy depends largely on a fair voter list. The culture of casting fake votes will stop once the voter list is prepared with photographs. We hope the task [of the pilot project] will be completed on time [June 30]," the CEC told reporters, expressing satisfaction at the progress of the task.