EC halts 14 more upazila polls results
Courtesy New Age 3/2/09 Khadimul Islam
The Election Commission has withheld the publication of results of 14 more upazilas after January 27, when it suspended the results of 7 upazila elections, because of allegation of irregularities, stuffing of ballot boxes, capturing of polling centres and intimidation in the January 22 polls.
The commission withheld the result of the upazilas in three days when files seeking the approval for gazette notifications on the polls results were placed before the commissioners, according to a commission secretariat official.
The official said the number of upazilas where results could be withheld might increase and the commission might decide to launch investigation by judicial magistrates in connection with the allegations.
‘The publication of gazettes on some more upazilas polls results are going to be suspended because of irregularities. Drastic action will be taken against the election officials who committed major irregularities in conducting the polls,’ election commissioner M Sakhawat Hussain told a group of reporters in his office on Monday.
The commission on January 27 suspended the results of seven upazila polls over similar allegations. But sources in the commission said it had found proof of irregularities, stuffing of ballot boxes, capturing of polling centres and intimidation in elections to at least 41 upazila parishads.
The 14 upazilas are sadar and Saghata in Gaibandha,
The commission secretariat on Sunday started publishing through gazette notifications the results of the upazila polls held amid violence, intimidation, capturing of polling centres, rigging, snatching of ballot boxes and papers allegedly by ruling party activists.
The commission during polling hours suspended elections to four, out of the 481 upazilas, on January 22. The upazilas are sadar in Brahmanbaria, Ramganj in Lakshmipur, Barura in Comilla and Belkuchi in Sirajganj.
The commission early January 22, eight hours before the polling, postponed elections to the Ukhia upazila parishad in Cox’s Bazar over the snatching of ballot boxes and papers.
The commission on January 15 postponed elections to the Dighinala upazila parishad in Khagrachari as a chairman candidate was forced to withdraw his candidature.
Soon after the elections, complaints of the stuffing of ballot boxes, capturing of polling centres and intimidation started pouring in at the EC secretariat. About 200 complaints have so far been lodged by candidates demanding re-elections to a number of polling centres or to all the centres in some cases.
Based on the allegations and proof of irregularities, the commission suspended the results of seven upazilas — Banchharampur in Brahmanbaria, Araihazar in Narayanganj, Teknaf in Cox’s Bazar, Kaliganj in Gazipur, Mehendiganj in Barisal, Muradnagar in Comilla and Raipura in Narsingdi — where Awami League-backed candidates were declared elected chairmen.
A day after the commission had suspended the results of seven upazila polls, the commission on January 28 abruptly stopped looking into the complaints regarding irregularities, including tempering with the results and intimidation, and suggested the people who want to lodge complaints in this connection should go to election tribunals.
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