The government may revise, defer or brought forward the election schedule announced by the Election Commission (EC) for local government elections, including Union Parishad polls, after consultations with the commission, Prime Minister’s Information and Broadcasting Adviser Zahed Ur Rahman said on Tuesday.
“There is no decision or fixed timeframe from the government regarding the local government elections. The Election Commission has announced a date on its own. The government will hold the elections in coordination with the Election Commission,” he said.
The adviser came up with the remarks while speaking at a press briefing at the Press Information Department’s conference room at the Secretariat.
The schedule announced by the EC could be changed, postponed or brought forward after discussions with the government, he said.
Referring to a statement by the State Minister for Local Government that the government has no decision or fixed timeframe for the polls, Zahed said the government would stand by the information provided by the minister.
“You cannot say that the election will definitely be held on the date announced by the Election Commission, nor can you say that it will not be held on that date. The government has made no such decision,” he said.
The government would consider various factors, including whether all necessary preparations for holding the elections are in place, before deciding the timing, he said adding “If necessary, the schedule may be advanced or deferred.”
The adviser said the Constitution gives the Election Commission direct constitutional responsibility for holding presidential and parliamentary elections, while other elections are conducted under relevant laws.
Local government elections fall under the latter framework, he said, adding that the government therefore has a role in deciding the matter.
The situation is different in the case of parliamentary elections, he said. As the tenure of Parliament approaches its end, the EC will arrange the election within its constitutional authority.
“But in the case of the schedule for local government elections, the government’s decision is important,” Zahed said.
He also said that he had never claimed that holding local government elections was the EC’s “exclusive” jurisdiction.
Asked whether the EC had violated the law by announcing the local government election schedule, the adviser declined to give a direct answer.
“I do not want to say that it has violated the law, nor do I want to say that it has not. I think it would be best if you seek clarification from the Election Commission,” he said, advising journalists to contact the relevant EC officials.
Responding to a question about whether a “gap” had emerged between the government and the EC over the announced schedule, Zahed said there was no reason to view the issue as a conflict.
“The government will hold the election in coordination with the Election Commission. The election will certainly be held. But the government will consider various realities and make a decision on when it will be held,” he said.
“Please, I don't think we should try to portray this as some kind of conflict,” he said.
The adviser said no political party would directly contest the upcoming local government elections as a party.
“This time, the elections will not be held using party symbols. Individuals will contest the polls,” he said.
During the Awami League government, party symbols were used in local government elections for city corporation mayors as well as Upazila and Union Parishad chairmen.
“There is no party contesting in the upcoming local government elections. Individuals are contesting there,” Zahed said.
Noting that candidates backed by different political parties would participate, the adviser said several parties have already announced potential candidates
He also expressed hope that the elections would be participatory.
Multiple candidates from the same political party will also be able to contest, while candidates backed by other parties will compete as well, he said.
He expressed hope that the local government polls would return to a competitive environment without the use of party symbols.
On the possibility of changing the law governing local government elections, Zahed said it would be possible for the government to directly conduct Upazila or Union Parishad elections in the future if such a decision were taken through legislation.
“If we ever make a law that the government itself will conduct Upazila or Union Parishad elections directly and we do not assign this responsibility to the Election Commission, suppose that happens—we can do that,” he said.