The Election Commission (EC) has preliminary finalized 12 new political parties that applied for registration ahead of the upcoming Jatiyo Sangsad(JS) elections. Election Commission Secretary Jahangir Alom said on Tuesday (11 April).
Among the parties in the initial list, the party formed by those who came out of Jamaat-e-Islami, the discussed AB Party, the son of the late leader of Awami League, Shah AMS Kibria. Reza Kibria and former DUCSU VP Nurul Haque Noor's Gano Adhikar Parishad, former DUCSU VP Mahmudur Rahman Manna's Nagorika Oikya. The EC secretary said that the approval will be given after due investigation.
The remaining parties shortlisted by the EC are Labor Party, Bangladesh Humanist Party (BHP), Bangladesh Jatiyotabadi Andolon (BNM), Bangladesh Supreme Party, Bangladesh Sanatan Party, Democratic Party, Bangladesh Minority Janata Party (BMJP), Bangladesh People's Party (BPP) and Bangladesh Liberal Democratic Party (BLDP).
Registration of political parties is mandatory to participate in the parliamentary elections. There are currently 39 parties registered after begining of registration process. Apart from party candidates, others have to be independent candidates.
According to the Representation of the People Order (RPO), a party is considered eligible for registration if one of the commission's three conditions is met. A new party must fulfill the last condition to get registration.
The first registration system was introduced in 2008. Before the 9th Parliament, 126 parties applied, but 39 parties got registration by fulfilling the conditions. 43 parties applied before the 10th parliamentary elections. Three more parties received registration in 2013.
Before the 11th parliamentary elections, 76 parties applied, but not a single party was considered eligible for registration. However, the two parties were then got registered by court orders.
A total of 44 parties were registered, but Freedom Party, Jamaat-e-Islam, Jagpa, Oikyabaddha Nagarik Andolon and PDP were cancelled. Now 39 parties are registered.
Last year, 93 political parties applied to the Election Commission for registration in view of the upcoming elections. After verifying the documents of the applied parties, the Election Commission (EC) Secretariat prepares a short list. The commission will verify the field level information of these 12 parties currently in that list. Now after getting the commission's approval, a letter will be sent to the field offices of the EC within a day or two.