The Electoral System Reform Commission has recommended re-election in a constituency if the voter turnout is less than 40 percent, introduction of “no vote” provision to stop unopposed election, and the elimination of electronic voting machines (EVMs).
The reform commission also recommended barring political parties from maintaining associate bodies among students, teachers, and workers, as well as their foreign chapters.
The Electoral System Reform Commission headed by Dr Badiul Alam Majumdar submitted its report to Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus on Wednesday.
Other recommendations include defense division in the definition of law enforcement agencies for election time, prioritizing the Election Commission’s own officials in appointment as returning officers and assistant returning officers, and changing a provision for independent candidate to acquire support from 500 voters instead of submitting signatures of 1 percent of the voters.
The reform commission suggested the Election Commission should be empowered to postpone or cancel elections and to conduct re-elections as well as entrusted with the sole responsibility of appointing the EC Secretary.
The report said a provision can be introduced to seek the opinion of the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court through the President for providing power to the Election Commission to postpone the elections for 90 days showing reasonable reasons in writing following a unanimous decision, if there is a risk that the democratic system, which is part of the basic structure of the Constitution of Bangladesh, might be damaged by controversial elections like those held in 2014, 2018 and 2024.
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The commission recommended limiting the term of the Prime Minister to a maximum of two terms for a person by amending the Constitution, disqualify a two-time elected Prime Minister for the post of President by amending the Constitution, making a provision to prevent the same person from simultaneously serving as party chief, Prime Minister, and Leader of Parliament.
The report suggested creating a 100-seat upper house of parliament through constitutional amendment and increasing the number of seats in Parliament (lower house) from 300 to 400 with 100 reserved for women through a rotating election system for direct representation.
The 100 upper house seats should be distributed proportionally based on the basis of the percentage of votes received by parties in the parliamentary elections.
In case of the upper house election, it recommended a provision should be made for 50 percent of the seats obtained by each party to pick members from among the party members and the remaining 50 percent seats should be on a non-partisan basis to pick members from among civil society, academicians, scientists, activists, labor representatives, women’s rights activists, cultural personalities and marginalized communities through proportional election. But at least 30 percent of the party and non-party members should be from women, the body recommended.
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The electoral system reform commission recommended that if necessary, the caretaker government’s term could be fixed at four months to complete all national and local government elections during this term. The head and 20 other advisers of caretaker government can be finalized by a permanent “national constitutional council.”
It also recommended the formation of a permanent local government commission, arrangement of local body elections before the national election and holding the local body elections in non-partisan manners.
The commission placed some 150 reform recommendations under 18 chapters in its report.