EC starts second round of talks with parties next week

Dhaka, Feb 10 (bdprem.com) -- The Election Commission will start its second round of dialogues on election reform laws with political parties next week, said election commissioner Sohul Hossain Sunday. Your Ad Here "If dialogue with the BNP is delayed, we will hold the second round of talks with the other political parties," Sohul told reporters at his office. "However, if the court comes to a decision regarding dialogue with the BNP on February 12, we will hold our talks with them first." "If that does not happen, we will hold talks with the other parties. We do not have much time," said the election commissioner. Sohul said the upcoming round of talks would be shorter, discussing only those aspects of the law under dispute. "We may hold dialogues with two or three parties a day," he said. A writ petition, filed on behalf of BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia with the High Court on Nov 18, resulted in a stay on the effectiveness of the EC's letter of invitation to the party for dialogue. The order prevented acting secretary general of the BNP Hafizuddin Ahmed, who was nominated by the standing committee, from entering into dialogue with the EC. The same court asked the EC to explain why the letter of invitation should not be declared illegal. A fresh hearing of the writ petition was set for Feb 12, when the two-week delay expired. The EC was originally scheduled to hold talks with the BNP on Nov 22, as part of its series of talks with the political parties on the reform of the election laws. According to the election roadmap, announced by the EC on July 15 last year, the talks were meant to be completed within three months from last September. The laws were to be finalised by this March. The commission has completed dialogue with 16 parties. Only the BNP has been left out of the dialogue. The commissioner also said an EC meeting on Sunday finalised the draft for a 2008 ordinance that controls graffiti and poster writing. The draft will be sent to the local government ministry for initial vetting. After the ordinance is approved, the local government ministry will monitor graffiti and poster pasting. It will allow a magistrate to fine a violator of the law up to Tk 10,000 or three months in jail if the fine is unpaid, Sohul said. If the ministry does not approve the ordinance, the EC may amend the election code of conduct, banning election-time graffiti or posters.