The Bangladesh Journal - Election Commission to hold dialogue with journalists in mid-May

The Election Commission is likely to hold dialogue with country's journalist community in the middle of this month to discuss the proposed draft electoral reforms. Meanwhile holding of dialogue with political parties has become uncertain as there is no sign of withdrawal of the ban on indoor politics soon.

"We are hoping the EC will be able to hold dialogue with senior journalists of the country in mid-May", said the acting EC secretary, Muhammad Humayun Kabir at the weekly press briefing on Thursday. About the progress of the work of the consultants, who are supposed to prepare a project proposal, he said, "progress is on and a pilot project of preparing the voter list with photographs will be launched in Dhaka within this month.

When asked how the EC is going for preparing voters' list with photographs without amending the electoral rolls ordinance-1982 and the electoral rolls rule-1982, the EC secretary said, "currently we are examining what amendments to those rules are needed and before going for preparing voters' list necessary amendments must be made".

In reply to a question, he said, "although the consultants have no experience in preparing voters' list with photographs or in producing ID cards, they do have necessary idea about the process and system needed for the purpose".

The election commission yesterday held a meeting with the representatives from planning and home ministries, Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics and with the DG of Passport with a view to maintaining coordination among them for preparing the voters' list with photographs as well as national ID cards.