The parliament on Thursday (Jan 27) passed the bill on the appointment of chief election commissioner and other election commissioners amid protest of opposition bench.

The bill was passed through a majority voice vote in the parliament presided by speaker Shirin Sharmin Chowdhury.

Earlier, Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Anisul Huq placed the bill in the House on January 23.

According to Article 118 (1) of the Constitution, the bill will give a legal shield to the appointments of the Chief Election Commissioner and election commissioners to form the EC.

The tenure of the incumbent KM Nurul Huda led election commission will expire on Feb 14.

Placing the bill, the law minister said the bill has been proposed to form a six-member search committee for recommending the names of qualified persons who will be eligible for appointment of the CEC and ECs under the commission.

Before enacting the law, opposition Jatiya Party and lawmakers of other political parties like BNP, Gonoforum demanded seeking public review and the amendment of the constitution.

But later the proposals for seeking public review by the opposition lawmakers were rejected through voice votes by the treasury bench lawmakers.  

Discussing elaborately about the draft law, Huq said the enacting of the law will not by pass the article 48 of the constitution as the law has not imposed any obligation on the president to discuss others on giving his nomination for the search committee.

Regarding the caretaker government provision, he said the Supreme Court and the High Court has also declared the caretaker system illegal, but the BNP has no respect to the court verdict.  

Rejecting BNP’s concern to enact the law, law minister said BNP had persuaded unfair means by appointing Justice M A Aziz as the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and made 1.30 crore fake voters.   

The law has been enacted to form a transparent and powerful commission in line with the example of the parliamentary democracy, the law minister added.  

Earlier on January 17, the cabinet approved the draft bill.

BDST: 1403 HRS, JAN 27, 2022
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