EC approved 68 election observation agencies

The Election Commission (EC) has initially approved 68 domestic observation agencies to monitor the upcoming 12th National Assembly elections. However, it is requested to inform the EC in writing within 15 working days if anyone has any claim or objection regarding approval of these organizations.

This was informed in a public notice signed by Bangladesh Election Commission Assistant Director (Public Relations) Md. Ashadul Haque on Tuesday.

According to the, after proper scrutiny of the applications for inclusion as election monitoring organizations, in the light of paragraph 4.4 (a) of the relevant policy, if anyone has any claims-objections-complaints regarding the following 68 organizations, the Secretary, Election Commission Secretariat, Agargaon, Dhaka is requested to inform in writing within 15 working days of publication of the notice. 

The notification also says that if there is any claim-objection-complaint against anyone, 6 sets of objections must be submitted in his favor, mentioning the name, address and phone number of the objector along with appropriate evidence. After hearing the objection, a decision will be given regarding its acceptance or rejection. The decision of the commission in this regard will be considered final. The public notification is available on the Election Commission Secretariat website (www.ecs.gov.bd).

According to Election Commission sources, a total of 206 non-governmental organizations applied for registration as National Election Observing Organizations. Out of these, a seven-member committee of the EC has shortlisted 68 companies for initial registration.

Before the Ninth National Assembly elections in 2008, the procedure for registration of local observer organizations was introduced. The matter was incorporated into the National Electoral Act on the Representation of the People Ordinance and the EC developed a local observer policy. In 2008, EC registered 138 organizations as observers for the first time.