EC Mahbub says this to stay in discussion: Info Minister

Information Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud said Election Commissioner (EC) Mahbub Talukdar talks about the election and election commission to stay in discussion.

He made the remarks in an exchange of views with journalists at his office of the information ministry on Thursday afternoon.

The information minister said, "I heard the statement of Election Commissioner Mahbub Talukdar on Wednesday. He said such things before. He basically wants to stay in the discussion of the people."

Election Commissioner Mahbub Talukdar said that the freedom of Election Commission (EC) is confined to its own process.

He expressed this view at the inauguration of a two-day training of election officials on Wednesday morning in the city on the occasion of the upcoming Dhaka North and South City Corporation elections.

Mahbub Talukdar said, "I had to find out the answer to the question of why the election is not fair, neutral and acceptable. My experience is that the Election Commission is legally independent but the real case is that its freedom is confined to the electoral process."

He opined that reform to the electoral process would be necessary. If the election becomes a prerequisite for democracy, then the election would have to be free, fair and transparent in order to make the path of democracy smooth.

Mahbub also mentioned that illegally elected public representatives have no 'commitments' to the people or to democracy.