EC halts 9 more upazila polls results
Flaws in result sheets delay gazette publication, says CEC
Courtesy New Age 4/2/09 Staff Correspondent
The Election Commission on Tuesday halted the publication of results of nine more upazila parishads, taking to 23 the number of such upazila polls results in two days, because of allegation of irregularities, stuffing of ballot boxes, capturing of polling centres and intimidation in the January 22 polls.
The nine upazilas are Kishoreganj in Nilphamari, Jagannathpur in Sylhet, Daulatpur in Manikganj, Chandina in Comilla, Kachua in Chandpur, Ashuganj in Brahmanbaria, Morrelganj, Sarankhola in Bagerhat and Islampur in Jamalpur, according to sources in the EC secretariat.
The commission earlier in January suspended the results of seven upazila elections and polling of six other upazilas because of irregularities.
The chief election commissioner, ATM Shamsul Huda, on Tuesday blamed the returning officers for doing wrong in the result sheets causing delay in publishing gazette of result of some upazilas.
He said the commission had just halted the publication of results of some upazila parishad elections as they needed to be examined. ‘We are yet to decide on the suspending of the results,’ he told reporters at the EC secretariat.
‘There are a number of flaws in the result sheets sent by the retuning officers. The results they [returning officers] announced at night and the ones they sent to us do not match. So we need to examine the results before the publication of gazettes,’ Shamsul told reporters coming out of his office in the afternoon.
He said the commission had summoned some returning officers to explain the flaws in the result sheets.
Earlier in the day, Shamsul said he needed time to make clear his position on halting the results of some upazila elections because of allegations of irregularities, stuffing of ballot boxes, capturing of polling centres and intimidation in the polls.
‘I need more time to brief you on this,’ he told reporters at the EC secretariat when he was asked to clear his position on the report of the results of 14 more upazila polls being withheld.
Shamsul said he would discharge his duties his way and inform the media of the matter when it would feel it necessary. ‘I will call you when I will get time.’
The commission earlier halted the publication of the result of 14 upazilas —sadar and Saghata in Gaibandha, Raipur in Lakshmipur, Gazaria in Munshiganj, Muladi in Barisal, Nandail in Mymensingh, Daudkandi, Nangalkot and Chauddagram in Comilla, Fatikchari in Chittagong, Pakundia in Kishoreganj, Madarganj in Jamalpur, Atpara in Netrakona and Ajmiriganj in Habignaj.
The commission on January 27 suspended the results of seven upazila polls as it had found proof of irregularities, stuffing of ballot boxes, capturing of polling centres and intimidation in elections.
The seven upazilas are — 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.
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 regarding irregularities in polling 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.
__._,_.___
[Disclaimer: ALOCHONA Management is not liable for information contained in this message. The author takes full responsibility.]
To unsubscribe/subscribe, send request to alochona-owner@egroups.com
Change settings via the Web (Yahoo! ID required)
Change settings via email: Switch delivery to Daily Digest | Switch to Fully Featured
Visit Your Group | Yahoo! Groups Terms of Use | Unsubscribe
__,_._,___