Sushashoner Jonno Nagorik (Sujan) on Monday expressed concern over what it said intervention of political parties in the upcoming upazila elections. It said the political parties should respect the law that requires the local government elections to be non-partisan. The polls will be held in two phases beginning February 19. Sujan, a civil society organization, alleged that political parties are pressuring some candidates to quit paving way to nominate single contender from a party in each upazila. “It is tantamount to influence the election and it is a clear violation of the polls code,” it added. Sujan’s concern came in a statement issued by its president M Hafizuddin Khan and secretary Dr Badiul Alam Majumder. “As per the law, there is no scope for using symbol of any political party and portraits of the party’s leaders during electioneering by the candidates in the local government body elections,” the statement said. It said that different political parties nominate their candidates for the polls, which lead reducing the number of contenders on the one hand and voters will get few options to elect their representatives on the other hand. Fewer candidates means fewer competent candidates, which is not a positive sign for our democratic system, Sujan added. The organisation also urged the Election Commission to ensure that the upazila elections remain free of influence of political parties. – UNB
