Jatiya Party (JaPa) Secretary General Shameem Haider Patwary on Saturday said mob interference in the electoral process has become a major obstacle to holding a free and fair election, urging the Election Commission (EC) to take firm action to curb such activities.
Speaking to reporters after attending an appeal hearing at the Election Commission building over the restoration of his party candidates’ nominations for the 13th National Parliamentary Election, Shameem Haider Patwary said the EC must act decisively.
“The Election Commission must control mobs. Without curbing mob activities, there is no possibility of a fair election,” he said, adding that the commission has the authority to enforce discipline but must exercise it effectively.
The JaPa secretary general said the Election Commission needs to assert control across the country, including over the incumbent government.
He alleged that mob intimidation prevented many of his party’s candidates from correcting minor errors in their nomination papers, while returning officers were too fearful to properly accept documents.
Patwary said JaPa had nominated 244 candidates, of whom 224 submitted nomination papers. Around 30 nominations were rejected by returning officers, and more than 25 candidates filed appeals.
“In the first phase of hearings today, four of our candidates had their nominations restored. One appeal remains pending, and we are hopeful the rest will also be resolved positively,” he said.
The 13th National Parliamentary Election is scheduled to be held on 12 February.
