CEC seeks political parties’ cooperation to ensure fair, participatory polls

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) A M M Nasir Uddin urged political parties to extend cooperation and provide guidance to ensure a free, fair and participatory 13th national parliamentary election.

He made the call while delivering his welcome remarks at a dialogue with representatives of several political parties at the Election Commission on Sunday (November 16).

The CEC said the Election Commission alone cannot carry out such a massive responsibility, noting that cooperation from national leaders is crucial as they have the strongest influence on voters. He acknowledged that the Commission had to take on several major tasks soon after assuming office, which delayed the start of political dialogues.

Highlighting the voter list update, he said 21 lakh deceased voters were removed and over 40 lakh new voters were identified and added.

He also said new measures have been taken to ensure voting rights for diaspora citizens, government officials posted abroad, and around 10 lakh personnel deployed for election duties.

"Initiatives are also underway to ensure voting rights for inmates," he added.

Regarding the code of conduct, the CEC said it had been available on the EC website for a long time and was revised based on feedback from political parties.

He stressed that strict adherence to the code is essential for a credible election and urged political leaders to study it carefully and promote it within their parties.