Gaibandha-5 by-polls suspended after close monitoring: CEC

The suspension of the Gaibandha-5 parliamentary by-polls was an outcome of the Election Commission’s (EC) close monitoring, Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Habibul Awal said on Thursday.

“It was not a hasty decision. We suspended the elections based on the outcome of our close monitoring,” Awal told reporters at a press conference at his Election Commission office in Dhaka.

Earlier on Wednesday, the EC suspended the by-elections over widespread allegations of vote rigging and irregularities.

“The Gaibandha-5 by-elections went out of control. We have seen people illegally entering the booths designated for voting inside the polling centres and casting ballots with my own eyes. In some places, voters were forced to cast ballots for particular candidates,” the CEC said after suspending the elections.

Meanwhile, Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud on Thursday said that the people became stunned as the CEC postponed the elections, staying away from 500 kilometres.

“The CEC’s decision to suspend the elections is questionable. The EC has made itself controversial through the decision,” Mahmud said.

Responding to a query in this regard, the CEC said if the commission wants, it can make decisions according to the law staying anywhere in the country.

It does not matter whether the decision was made from Dhaka or sitting on a ship or at home, he said, adding, “It is the commission’s decision not my own one.”   

The commission warned an official concerned to stop the irregularities but he did not comply with the directives accordingly, the CEC said.

“An inquiry committee has been formed and it has also been asked to submit a report in this regard before the commission within seven days. We will make action based on the report,” he said

“It was our well-thought decision. There is no pressure on us,” said the CEC.

The CCTV cameras were installed at the polling booth based on prior information on irregularities, Awal said.

The CEC, however, said that Gaibandha-5 by-polls can no longer be considered as a standard for evaluating the country’s all elections.

Responding to a question about how the commission will handle a large-scale election in the context of the Gaibandha by-polls, Awal said, “Only time will tell. We will take action according to the situation.”