EC formation bill passed in parliament

The ‘Appointment of Chief Election Commissioner and Election Commissioners Bill 2022’ has been passed in the parliament on Thursday.

Law Minister Anisul Haq placed the bill and passed over the voice vote.

However, some opposition leaders, including MPs of BNP, Jatiya Party, Gonoforum and Workers Party, criticized the proposed law and demanded to take public opinion on the bill.

As per the law, a search committee will be constituted taking approval from the president regarding forming the Election Commission.

On January 23, the Law Minister tabled the bill in parliament seeking to give a legal shield to the current and previous Election Commissions formed through search committees. It was sent to the respective scrutiny committee for deeper examination.

The qualification of CEC and election commissioners, after the recommendation from the Parliamentary Committee, is that they must be Bangladeshi citizens with minimum 50 years of age, and have at least 20 years of work experience in important government, semi-government, private or judicial posts, autonomous and other professions.

ARR