One percent voter signature rule for independent candidates is unreasonable: Badiul Alam

Badiul Alam Majumdar, secretary of Citizens for Good Governance, Sujan, has termed the requirement of collecting signatures from one percent of voters for independent candidates as unreasonable. He said an election cannot be participatory or credible if candidates interested in contesting are disqualified without justification.

He made the remarks on Monday, January 5, at a dialogue titled “Aspirations of the mass uprising, reforms and election manifesto” held at a restaurant in the New Market area of Mymensingh city. The programme was organised by Sujan’s Mymensingh district and metropolitan units.

Responding to questions from journalists, Badiul Alam Majumdar said a large portion of disqualified candidates were independents, mainly due to the impractical requirement of collecting signatures from one percent of voters.

He said the Electoral System Reform Commission had proposed allowing candidates to submit signatures of only 500 voters through affidavits, which would have reduced pressure and the risk of fraud in verification. However, the Election Commission did not include the proposal in the RPO.

On allegations by political parties regarding the role of the administration, he said since the election is being held under an interim government, ensuring neutrality of the administration and law enforcement agencies is the responsibility of both the government and the Election Commission.

Stressing the need for democratic transition after the election, the Sujan secretary said reforms are required at legal, institutional and structural levels, and these reforms must begin with a free, fair and neutral election. He added that political parties and civil society must play responsible roles in the process.

On whether the current law and order situation is conducive to a fair election, he said widespread politicisation has weakened law enforcement agencies after the mass uprising, with many members leaving their duties. Rebuilding a collapsed institution takes time, and only a non-partisan government can ensure responsible administrative conduct.

The dialogue began at 10:45am with the national anthem. Although 10 candidates from the Mymensingh-4 constituency were invited, candidates from BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami, Bangladesh Khilafat Majlis, Ganosamhati Andolon, Bangladesh Supreme Party and the Communist Party attended.

Citizen representatives raised demands including job creation, traffic management, ending corruption and harassment, planned urbanisation, a women-friendly environment, more playgrounds and breaking syndicates in agriculture. Candidates pledged to address these issues if elected and to include them in their election manifestos.