Ahead of the 13th national parliamentary election, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) AMM Nasir Uddin on Thursday announced strict measures to ensure compliance with the election code of conduct.
Addressing political parties, he said, “Look, you will play your game. You are the players; we are in the role of the referee. We want to remain completely neutral as referees.”
Calling for the removal of all advance posters before the schedule is announced, he warned that no leniency would be shown in case of violations of the code of conduct.
Highlighting various measures, such as conducting postal ballots for overseas voters and preventing AI misuse, the CEC said, “Several extra burdens have come up. We have to move forward with all of them and face multiple challenges.”
Emphasising the importance of the election authorities’ neutral role, he added that without the cooperation of the main players, the election could be questioned. “In this context, everyone’s cooperation is necessary,” he said.
The CEC delivered the welcome speech as the chairperson at the start of a dialogue with political parties. Representatives of six parties, invited for the first round, were present.
The CEC expressed satisfaction over the parties’ response, saying, “We are pleased that our appeal has been heeded. Such discussions are very important.”
Explaining the delay in holding the dialogue, he said that although plans were made earlier, extended consultations with the Election Reform Commission and the National Consensus Commission kept all parties engaged. “The Reform Commission submitted its report after discussions with stakeholders. The Election Commission agrees with many recommendations, and comments on several others,” he added.
He further explained the need for consensus, saying, “When the government’s Consensus Commission is conducting discussions with parties, the Election Commission cannot hold a parallel discussion. Dual discussions with the same party could lead to various comments. That is why we waited, and the dialogue was delayed.”
The CEC noted that the code of conduct is available on the commission’s website and was prepared after considering parties’ views. He added that the RPO was issued on 3 November, the code of conduct was released on Monday, and discussions began thereafter.