By IANS
Dhaka : Bangladesh’s Election Commission, which was under the control of the Prime Minister’s Office, now called the Chief Advisor’s Office, is to be de-linked from the government.
The current caretaker government’s council of advisers on Tuesday approved the Election Commission Secretariat Ordinance 2008, the New Age newspaper said Wednesday. The Election Commission is tasked to hold general elections later this year.
A meeting, presided over by Chief Adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed, also approved the Supreme Judicial Commission Ordinance aimed at appointing “competent judges to the Supreme Court in a transparent process”.
The president is likely to promulgate the ordinances by gazette notifications shortly, ending numerous controversies surrounding appointments of judges and of commissioners to the poll body.
Media reports have said the poll body has sought full autonomy for finance and choice of staff. But its proposals do not get reflected in the draft ordinance.
The government’s move came as the election commissioners told the Supreme Court Tuesday that not holding general elections at present was not in violation of the country’s constitution.
Elections had been called off in January last year. The present caretaker government under Ahmed took office and a national emergency was declared.