12th Jatiyo Sangsad election: DC will be the Returning Officer
In the 12th Jatiyo Sangsad(JS) elections, the district election officers' demand for returning officers was not met by the commission. A few days ago, in a meeting, they demanded to be given this responsibility by selecting them according to their ability. However, this claim did not last. DCs are going to be the returning officer for the upcoming JS elections.
Multiple sources from the EC confirmed the information on Monday (November 13).
The Election Commission has been organizing local government elections and by-elections of the JS with its own officials. But the EC is still relying on administration officials to conduct the JS elections.
Deputy Commissioners (DCs) are being appointed as Returning Officers for the upcoming 12th JS elections like the 11th JS elections.
However, various political parties and dignitaries participating in the dialogue called by the EC proposed to appoint the institution's own officers as returning officers in the national elections. But that proposal did not last. DCs will hold the charge of Returning Officer.
Sources related to the Election Commission of EC said that the national election is a huge event. The EC's own officials do not have the skills to conduct elections in the way that administration officials coordinate with law enforcement agencies and others. That is why the election commission has given priority to DCs in making returning officers.
As per the Representation of the People Act, the EC can appoint 300 returning officers for 300 seats, as well as appoint one person for two or more seats. However, EC has no plan to appoint 300 returning officers for 300 seats, said the concerned.
According to the Representation of the People Order, there is a provision to appoint an officer of the rank of Deputy Secretary to the Government as Returning Officer. However, in consideration of the administrative authority, the Election Commission appoints the Returning Officer in every parliamentary election from the administrative cadre. In this case the Deputy Commissioner (DC) gets this responsibility. These posts are never recruited from other cadres either.
EC officials said that district-wise returning officers are appointed in parliamentary elections. And being the head of the district, the commission feels that he has more authority to control law and order. That is why they are important in the general elections of every parliament.
In addition to DCs, the issue of appointing Returning Officers of Election Commission officials came up in the dialogue. In this regard, Election Commissioner (EC) Begum Rasheda Sultana said earlier that EC had a meeting with the field officials. They want to become a mixed returning officer (with DCs). It is true that the returning officer is given from the admin cadre. They do not have the ability to pay all their demands. But something can be given selectively, they want something like that. Feel honored to give us something. I will sit with their demands.
In the dialogue organized by the current Commission headed by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kazi Habibul Awal, there was a recommendation from various quarters to assign the duty of returning officer to EC's own officials. Even the former Election Commissioner gave this advice.