Advisers CM Shafi Shami and Sultana Kamal on instruction from Chief Adviser Iajuddin Ahmed met Hasina at 9:40pm for more than an hour.

Following the meeting the AL softened its ultimatum ending today for tough action unless the caretaker government implements its 11-point demand including EC reconstitution. The AL will wait for another week for the implementation of its demands, party sources said.

"We have been told from the council of advisers that effective steps have been taken for reconstitution of the Election Commission," AL General Secretary Abdul Jalil made a one-liner to the waiting journalists after Shafi and Sultana left Sudha Sadan at 10:53pm.

Meantime, all the advisers at a meeting yesterday afternoon expressed a common sentiment that the EC should be reconstituted to remove all negative images that overshadowed its credibility.

The advisers' council met again last night to discuss ways to make the EC effective but could not take any decision as the advisers found it difficult to reconstitute the EC because of some constitutional barriers.

A few advisers even said at the second meeting of the advisers' council yesterday afternoon that the chief election commissioner (CEC) and three other election commissioners have lost the moral right to stay in their offices.

The council is likely to sit again tomorrow.

In the first meeting yesterday, the advisers' council discussed the ways to minimise all negative images of the EC to gain people's confidence in it for holding a free and fair election, sources said. The advisers are also determined to create an environment acceptable to all political parties as soon as possible.

"The Election Commission's responsibility is like that of a referee. A referee cannot have the moral right to stay in job if the playing teams do not want him," Adviser Dr Akbar Ali Khan told reporters after the meeting.

"The interim caretaker government is in touch with legal experts to find ways to overcome constitutional complexities to bring in reforms in the Election Commission," he said.

In last night's meeting chaired by President and Chief Adviser Prof Iajuddin Ahmed, the advisers proposed seeking opinion from constitutional experts on the issue.

"If the chief election commissioner and other election commissioners do not comply with our request for resignation, what will we do then?" an adviser told The Daily Star last night wishing anonymity.

"The EC members are holding constitutional posts and we are also obliged by the constitution. What can we do under the circumstances?" said another adviser while talking to The Daily Star last night.

Adviser Dhiraj Kumar Nath said, "We will continue discussing all the issues."

Adviser Yasmin Morshed said, "We are trying to give messages soon to the nation on what measures the caretaker government is going to take for holding the next election in a free and fair manner."

The meeting also discussed the issue of updating the voter list.

Meeting sources said the cabinet division is working on forming some committees comprising the advisers on different issues including law and order, reshuffling in the administration in the beginning of next week.

Adviser Dhiraj Kumar Nath told The Daily Star that yesterday's first meeting discussed probable reforms in the EC. "We are now thinking about the legal aspects in this regard," he added.

Adviser M Azizul Haque told reporters that the caretaker government cannot force the CEC out of his office but can request him to resign. "The chief election commissioner issue should be handled in line with the constitution as there are some barriers," he said.

The advisers' desire to make the EC effective echoed the longstanding demand of major political parties and the civil society.

CEC MA Aziz, meanwhile, told reporters yesterday that he would consider if the advisers ask him to resign from his post.

The advisers' council meeting also discussed issues of reshuffling the administration and improving law and order, and focused on creating an environment acceptable to all political parties for the polls within next 15-20 days.

"We will have to create a level playing field to ensure participation of all political parties in the next parliamentary elections," Adviser Dhiraj Kumar Nath said.

On improving law and order, Adviser Lt Gen (retd) Hasan Mashud Chowdhury told reporters, "We will keep continuing vigilance on the law and order situation."

Sources said adviser Dr Akbar Ali Khan proposed forming separate committees on reshuffling of administration, and law and order.

At the meeting President and Chief Adviser Prof Iajuddin Ahmed asked the advisers to work efficiently and the advisers also assured him of their dedication to run the ministries assigned to them.

On the first day in office yesterday, a number of advisers expressed determination to remain free from any corruption.

THE WAY EC BECAME CONTROVERSIAL
Since his appointment to the post on May 23 last year, CEC Aziz locked horns with the then two election commissioners over preparing a fresh voter list ignoring High Court directives. The Supreme Court finally declared the draft of the controversial fresh voter roll illegal.

As the two election commissioners had been strongly opposing preparation of the fresh voter list, the government in a hasty move appointed justices Mahfuzur Rahman and SM Zakaria as election commissioners on January 16 this year apparently for CEC Aziz to win majority in the commission.

From the very first day at office, the newly appointed election commissioners supported Aziz's move to prepare the fresh voter list, the draft of which was published on May 3. The draft list prepared at a cost of over Tk 40 crore rolled 9.13 crore voters which triggered enormous controversy over its accuracy.

On May 23, the Supreme Court cancelled the draft.

The EC later updated the existing voter list--this time also amid widespread controversy--and came up with a staggering 9.32 crore voters giving rise to doubts over its accuracy.

The EC is yet to complete the printing of the updated voter list.