Chief Whip Nurul Islam Moni has said Article 70 of the Constitution will eventually be abolished through political consensus, allowing lawmakers greater freedom in parliamentary voting.
He made the remarks while speaking to reporters in the parliamentary tunnel on Thursday evening after the presidential election.
Nurul Islam Moni said the government had to conduct the presidential election and other electoral activities within the existing constitutional framework because Article 70 remains in force.
“We want to amend the Constitution through discussions and consensus with opposition parties and bury Article 70,” he said, referring to plans for future reforms.
He said the goal was to ensure that presidential and other elections could be held in a freer environment without the restrictions imposed by the provision.
Announcing the election results, the chief whip said BNP-led alliance candidate Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir secured 255 votes and was unofficially elected president.
Oli Ahmad, the candidate of the opposition alliance, received 88 votes.
Responding to criticism over holding the presidential election without first amending the Constitution, Chief Whip said the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus, the formation of the Election Commission, updating of the voter list and constituency delimitation had all been carried out under the existing constitutional framework.
Representatives subsequently took their oaths and joined parliamentary proceedings under the same Constitution, he said.
“As Article 70 remains in force, there was no alternative but to comply with it,” he said.
Nurul Islam Moni said the country had been deprived of meaningful voting and the true spirit of parliamentary democracy for the past 17 years.
“This time, representatives of 18 crore people were able to vote freely to elect their president,” he said.
He praised opposition parties for participating in the election despite the possibility of defeat, saying the conduct of the contest reflected a positive change in the political environment.
The exchange of greetings between the prime minister and the opposition leader, along with the defeated candidate congratulating the winner, showed that a healthy democratic culture was returning, he said.
He expressed hope that a smooth transfer of power would help create opportunities in employment, education and healthcare.
The chief whip also clarified why six lawmakers were absent from the presidential election.
He said they could not vote because of illness and personal circumstances.
Three of them were BNP lawmakers- Mirza Abbas, who is undergoing treatment and had obtained prior permission; Kamal Pasha, who is receiving treatment in Chattogram; and Osman Faruk, who is undergoing treatment in the United States.
The other three were Khelafat Majlis MP Abdul Hannan and independent lawmakers Rumeen Farhana and Gazi Nazrul Islam.
